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Marvel Focuses On Games, Trails New Titles

Posted by simoniker on from the true-believers-transfixed dept.

Thanks to Gamesindustry.biz for its article discussing Marvel's renewed focus on videogames based on their properties, with the announcement of "a new division [that] will oversee the creation of all games based on Marvel licenses", ensuring quality control. These products will still be licensed out to external developers/publishers, however, and the announcement press release lists previous and future titles, including Spider-Man II, X-Men Legends, Fantastic Four, and Iron Man from Activision, The Punisher from THQ, and The Hulk II from Vivendi. The GI.biz article also notes: "One of the most exciting products in the pipeline for the company... [is another] Vivendi title - a massively multiplayer game featuring a wide range of different elements from the 'Marvel Universe', which encompasses the entire spectrum of the company's franchises" - this MMO title will doubtless be compared to Cryptic/NCSoft's unlicensed, currently Beta-testing City Of Heroes. What as yet unused Marvel property do you think would make the best videogame?

4 of 48 comments (clear)

  1. Dr. Strange by FreeForm+Response · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Think about it.
    • All sorts of phatty magickal powers
    • Travel through time, space, and the infinite multiverse
    • Battle on the astral plane
    • Cool powerups (Eye of Agamotto, Wand of Watoomb)
    • Tons of side quests and backstory elements, drawn from the comics, to explain the presence of various items and enemies
    • Awesome boss fights, requiring one to wield the overwhelming might of their phenomenal cosmic power
    I mean, Marvel has tons of untapped franchies (Ghost Rider, Silver Surfer, S.H.I.E.L.D.), but my personal preference for first on the list would be Dr. Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts, Sorceror Supreme.
  2. There is an unused Marvel property? by Osmosis_Garett · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I think that Marvel has exploited its proerties as much as they possibly can. Of course, since Marvel appeals to a young audience, there is constantly new people to take money from... people who wont learn of the constant re-use of these properties until later in life.

    It's pretty much a given that Marvel isnt interested in their unused properties. The properties that are out there are working well, are selling, and will continue to appeal to a broad slice of their target audience. The Hulk, Spiderman, X-Men... all winners! Even the Fantastic Four is getting a new shot, although the only success I ever saw for them outside of the comics was in the Fox cartoon in the 90s. Marvel has been exploiting their comic characters on TV since the 60s (or earlier?), and with video games since the 80s. They're certainly not going to take a break now that they've broken into the mainstream with hit movies.

    Fortunately for Marvel, they've a huge universe of characters and stories to draw from. This doesnt make them any more special than anyone else who wants to licence a story to make a game, mind you... but for the Marvel fans, rest assured that no matter who your favorite character may be, he or she will end up costing you even more money in the form of a new video game.

  3. Marvel Online woes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Want an inside scoop?

    Well, VU had an AMAZING demo of marvel online worked up by a proven MMO developer. The design would have called for all sorts of nifty features including unique sub-areas, zones of influence, and the ability to play as just about any sort of character (not just hero/villian!) within the marvel universe.

    Alas, due to some extremely shady politics in the upper levels of the company, the project was pulled, the entire production staff was let go, and the developer was left hanging (after putting mucho deneiro and time in to the project).

    This had NOTHING to do with the quality of the project as anyone who saw the tech demo could attest.

    I wouldn't hold my breath for this one folks.

  4. The "cosmic" ones by Felonius+Thunk · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Silver Surfer, Doctor Strange, Thor, and the lesser known ones from the psychedilc 70's like the Inhumans, Captain Marvel, and Warlock. Yeah, it's showing my age a bit, but those sort of weird, slightly funny, slightly hippy-twilight zone-philosophical stories featuring a quick trip through some dread dimension would be perfect for games. The plot is simple and the characters flat enough to actually play a game with, yet personal and fantastic enough to be original and involving. The eye candy factor for The Power Cosmic or whatnot, and the bizarre worlds and foes (the planet Eon? Dormammu?), could be pretty cool.

    Dang, now I wish I still had some of those comics around right now.