With the continued success of the MCU, miracle is doing well in Hollywood, and the IP is starting to make waves in gaming, including through Spider Man and Guardians of the Universe. Some efforts have been met with overwhelming critical acclaim, but others such as: Marvel’s Avengers could not live up to the lofty name of the property. Any project that bears the company’s logo has inherently high expectations, which make universal praise harder to come by. Spider Man achieve this in spades and time will tell if Guardians of the Universe finds the audience it truly deserves, so the seasoned comic book company might do best to seek other means to become a video game mainstay.
Most Marvel games will compete with AAA projects from top-notch first party studios or even DC’s litany of exceptional releases, putting each Marvel release in the crosshairs of some of gaming’s biggest developers and properties. As such, investing in more unpredictable and genre-splitting spin-offs can help make Marvel a name synonymous with games, as well as comics and film. Nintendo has mastered the art and the titan of the comic would do well to follow directions.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a wide appeal
As phase four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe progresses, it gathers a few critics while maintaining a strong fan base that finds solace in even the most predictable MCU movies. They are undoubtedly popular with many as comedic timing, strong performances, enjoyable action and heartfelt moments appeal to moviegoers of all ages and backgrounds. Games usually have a harder time making everyone happy because genres are so different in content and mechanics. Guardians of the Universe has good combat and linear level design similar to that of Tomb Raider and not mappedbut lacks the freedom of discovery that people love so much Spider Man. Other way around, Lego Marvel’s Avengers is a solid, couch-cooperative, family-oriented game even years after release, but it lacks the mechanical depth that some would crave.
By leveraging the entire scope of the Marvel brand to branch out into any number of genres, the company’s characters could be more likely to find a diverse audience in all corners of gaming. The MCU has done this relatively easily, so a horror twist on one Incredible Hulk Implementing game of Wakanda into a grand strategy game could further complicate the characters fans have come to love in the MCU. Marvel in gaming can definitely rely on the one-size-fits-all approach to its cinematic universe, but instead of creating individual projects that appeal to everyone, it might be best to create spin-off games that cast a small net, giving the company a foothold in most game genres.
Mario and Pokemon’s Spin-off Successes
Mario is the most recognizable face in gaming and has been the banner of Nintendo since the mid-1980s. pokemon is one of the most profitable media franchises in the world, and neither is too proud to make spin-offs. Sometimes they are remembered as retro classics, with Paper Mario and Pokemon Snap! each of which has recently received new entries in their respective series. None of the aforementioned titles are in a genre even close to the main series, but have the same charm that returning players expect from the properties, which is arguably most important when dealing with such beloved franchises.
Marvel has its own charm, and each of its hundreds of characters – both obvious and obscure – has potential within at least one game genre. If a goofy character similar to Mario can transition into any number of game genres, and the otherwise tough JRPG pokemon can produce some really amazing 3D arena fighters, GPS augmented reality titles like pokemon goand physical card games, then Marvel’s sheer diversity puts it in a perfect position to release numerous spin-offs in the same way.
Different Marvel characters require a different approach
In film, Marvel has done well to fit its characters into a format that never changes drastically with each release. Subtle changes in tone are appreciated, but many MCU movies have a familiarity that is hard to ignore. It wouldn’t be wise to use the same process in games. The time it takes to develop an AAA experience is just too long to produce a title with a new protagonist not much different from the games that came before. Innovation is important, and the wide range of personalities in the Marvel toy box means it would be best to spread them to different spin-off titles by who they are.
The following Wolverine game will definitely differ drastically from Insomniac’s previous works with Spider Man, and it would be all the better since Wolverine and Spider-Man are vastly different people. Should a spin-off around Storm be green-lit, things should be even different, as the format that fits Logan doesn’t necessarily suit all members of the X-Men.
Third-person action/adventure is the go-to flavor of PlayStation’s first party franchises, and it works for those products, but Marvel shouldn’t fall into the trap of thinking success lies in just one genre with just a handful of iconic characters. A SSX-style arcade racer aimed at Silver Surfer could be great but terrible for the likes of Captain America or Thor. Marvel has to choose its poison wisely in gaming, so spin-offs and genre changes would be the best course of action.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to the concept of spin-offs, taking side characters and making them the star of their own project. The problem arises when the end result doesn’t feel different enough from the series it originated from, and the same goes for video games. Creating excellently crafted spin-offs can give characters a chance to thrive in an environment that showcases their strengths and minimizes any weaknesses. pokemon and Mario continue to prove that they can extend the legacy of a property, reaching an audience of all persuasions, and miracle should follow the example.
0 Comments