Saying thatMarvel’s Avengersis a struggling game is an understatement, as the project has been in recovery mode ever since it made its debut last year. While there have been some positive moments like the Hawkeye DLCs and a smooth next-gen launch for the game, moments likeOutriderssurpassingMarvel’s Avengers’ peak player countalready serve as constant reminders of the game’s failures. Unfortunately, while there is reason to be optimistic about the future, there is a chance that things get worse.
Marvel’s Avengersmay have a clear plan in place for the rest of 2021, but it is going to need to prepare some truly impactful content for next year as well. Though keeping interest in the game is a challenge, as is fixing its current flaws,Marvel’s Avengershas had the advantage of not having any real competition in the area of co-op superhero games. 2022 is going to change that, however, and it could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the game if changes are not made.
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The Current Struggles Of Marvel’s Avengers
WhileMarvel’s Avengersis better than some say, as noticeable strides toward a better game have already been made, it is still deeply flawed. Though missions may run better and not present the same bugs, glitches, and performance issues that they used to, they are still extremely repetitive. Movement for heroes like Hawkeye and Black Widow is still a pain, while no information has been shared on the game’s cosmetic rework. Further, a lack of communication has resulted in frustration over XP changes and other decisions.
Marvel’s Avengers’ biggest problem remains its lack of villains. Players have beenfighting against AIM botsand soldiers since the game launched, with no other factions present to do battle with. No aliens, Hydra members, Ultron drones, or Doom bots have appeared, yet adding one of these groups would instantly improve the game’s quality and gameplay diversity. The same issue extends to the bosses as well, as there is a startlingly low number of battles available — with many of the current fights being against similar foes as well.
Finally, whileMarvel’s Avengershas content on the way, it is not launching anytime soon. Only the Red Room event is launching in Spring, with other updates like the Cosmic Cube Villain Sector and the Wasteland patrol mode reserved for Summer. Despite being the game’s best hopes for a second chance,War for Wakandaand Black Panther are not arriving until the back half of 2021, with fans needing to wait a fair bit longer to take control of King T’Challa. The content drought continuing for even longer is worrying, at it is something that cannot be repeated come next year.
The Danger of 2022
WhileMarvel’s Avengersis currently juggling a lot of different problems that need to be addressed,developer Crystal Dynamicsis running out of time to fix these issues. After all, 2022 will be bringing two huge competitors forMarvel’s Avengers. Both games are focused on characters that stem from rival comics company DC, and both are taking very similar approaches to the style of gameplay that is seen with the current Avengers title. Next year, bothSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice LeagueandGotham Knightswill officially be launching, puttingMarvel’s Avengersin more danger than it is already in.
Both games feature four player co-op, and while they may not be taking a games-as-a-service approach, there is plenty ofpotential forGotham KnightsDLCandSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice Leagueexpansions. Not only are both games filling the void of a premier superhero game, but the projects can benefit from the hype for this year’sThe Suicide Squadfilm and next year’sThe Batmanfilm. Further, neither should featureMarvel’s Avengers’ villain problem, asSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice Leaguelets players take on the titular group whileGotham Knightshas a massive Rogues’ Gallery to play with.
There is also the obvious benefit of both games being fresh releases. While fans could stick withMarvel’s Avengers, giving the game a proper second chance, jumping over to a brand new release seems much easier. Plenty have lost faith in the Marvel title already, yet there is still plenty of goodwill toward 2022’s two DC big games – makingGotham Knightsand Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League serious competition. By focusing on the same style of co-op gameplay while also sharing a target audience,Marvel’s Avengersremaining fanscould be pulled away, a scenario that has to be avoided to save the project.
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What Marvel’s Avengers Needs To Do To Survive
In 2022,Marvel’s Avengersneeds to get beyond its growing pains. For starters, the window between content drops needs to shorten drastically, as fans cannot be asked to wait months for new heroes to come to the game anymore. With the wait between Kate Bishop and Clint Barton already being long, and the gap between Barton andBlack Panther’s DLCset to be even longer, this pattern cannot continue on. IfMarvel’s Avengersis not going to leave its games-as-a-service strategy behind, it needs to fully embrace it, providing regular updates for fans.
More communication is needed, as players should not be kept in the dark for several weeks on end like they have with the ongoing cosmetic rework. The game needs to see more variety added in its level design, while new villain additions must become a priority. While building up a new faction via story DLC would be necessary, there is no reason that randomVillain Sector additionscould not happen more often. Crystal Dynamics could insert random villains tied to each character, such as Iron Man antagonist Living Laser, as one-off boss battles to the game. More events should be added as well.
Whilemore playableMarvel’s Avengerscharacterswould be nice to see, there are more pressing issues that need to be fixed. While the game seems to be on the right track to deliver a solid 2021, it needs to kick things up a notch when 2022 begins. If nothing changes and fresh content continues to come at a snail’s pace, Marvel’s Avengers will struggle more than it ever has.Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice LeagueandGotham Knightsare shaping up to be great games that occupy the same exact space asMarvel’s Avengers, meaning that the Crystal Dynamics title needs to get ahead of its competitors before it is is too late.
Marvel’s Avengersis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
