Fans still gather when something related to superheroes comes out. Audiences still flock to the theaters and remain dedicated. They still watch the shows on a midnight release or binge as much as they can. Even loyal and passionate fans still collect and enjoy comic books. The superhero genre spreads across different mediums. They have a range of success in them. But one area where there is a certain pattern forming is in video games. Superhero video games do come out at less of a frequency compared to other mediums. However, while in those areas there’s consistent success, superhero video games are looking at a steady decline. Over the last few years, a handful of superhero video games have been poorly reviewed, received or outright canceled. Needless to say, superhero video games are in a bad spot.
The most recent games are Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Gotham Knights, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Marvel’s The Avengers. For most, once the games were announced, it did get fans interested, going as far as being invested. However, once the games did come out, gameplay was shown, story details were shared, and the games themselves were playable to the public that’s when the script changed. One of the biggest messes was Marvel’s The Avengers. The game was announced years before it came out. Years. It soon became an afterthought to many. Eventually though, it did near a gameplay trailer. And the ship started to sink lower. With graphics being underwhelming and story details not being what fans expected, the game was facing an uphill battle before it was released. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League overwhelmed fans with the insane amount of data on the HUD. A drastic playstyle compared to the previous Arkham games. Gotham Knights arrived with a bid of a dud. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was critically acclaimed. Critics and fans praised how it advanced the mechanics from the first installment. Enjoyed the new additions. However, where the game started to lose fans was when Insomniac decided to forgo any DLCs. Fans were quick to pick up that there were some story threads that would have benefited from DLC but were highly upset when no additional content was going to be added. The games that were released had a high bar to clear, especially when it came to fan approval. But despite years of development, established IP, and dedicated fans, these games fell short among fans and their support. These were games that actually delivered simply by being released even though they were not what fans were hoping for.
Then there are the canceled video games. A video game featuring Wonder Woman was announced and in early stages of development. But a shift of focus forced the game to be canceled. Recently at time of writing, a Black Panther game was also canceled. The game was in early stages but far enough for details to be shared. Players would have had a choice of who they want to be the Black Panther. The choices were T’Challa, Shuri, or Kilmonger. Story elements would change and be exclusive to each one of those choices. But despite having an interesting aspect, the game was in fact canceled. Referring back to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Insomniac did have interest in releasing DLC for the game. However, after details of what they wanted to do were leaked, they pulled away from the project outright. Their plan was to add more post-launch support for the game, but it was cancelled as well. While superhero games have faced some disappointment at launch, some games don’t even have a chance to be released. More than that, fans and players will never know what type of success those games could have been. It will only exist in imagination. Some games that never got that chance, could have been the next Batman Arkham game.
Not every part of this trend is bad. A few games have come that have been successful. Most notably Marvel Rivals. That game was an instant success on arrival. With fan favorite and lesser-known characters coming out every month or so now for free, the game still has life. And perhaps holding the space for superhero video games as of now. The future is not all that bleak either. A video game featuring Iron Man is still on track to release. Not much of the game has been revealed but the game still has the opportunity to be released. Perhaps the biggest game with the most potential that fans are waiting for is Marvel’s Wolverine by Insomniac. When it was announced many fans were quick to be excited. And with it existing in the same universe as Marvel’s Spider-Man, that’s just an extra element to anticipate. Some signs could also be pointing at another installment of Injustice. Neatherrealm studio just ended post-launch support for Mortal Kombat 1 which many are speculating that they are now focusing on another project. Since they have worked with DC before and skipped over a third Injustice game, fans are speculating, Neatherrealm’s potential next project could be Injustice 3. With the last two games being successful, this could spark some positivity in the superhero video game genre.
Superhero video games are an extension of the love fans have for superheroes. While some have been successful to the point where they add or capitalize on that passion, other ones of recent have fallen in quality. It’s a code that just can’t be cracked anymore. It is shame because games are the opportunity where fans could actually BE that hero. But when the quality is low, the impact of that does lose some flare. Superhero video games are meant to be special because there is so much passion and history and dedication behind. However, they are currently facing a trend that isn’t looking so bright.
