Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will have raised excitement for future games centered around Marvel properties following a successful release—and there’s plenty on the horizon for gamers.
Marvel’s recent history in the gaming sphere has not been stable, having paled in comparison to rivals DC previously, then enduring some disappointing results with the likes of Marvel’s Avengers from Crystal Dynamics.
Insomniac Games has steadied the ship with a trio of fantastic titles, however, and its work isn’t done with Marvel, while there are also several other games in development at other studios that will be released in the coming years.
Here, we’ve detailed all the upcoming games under the Marvel banner that are on the horizon, as well as covering potential sequels and rumors.
Marvel’s Wolverine
Insomniac Games is expanding on its Spider-Man experience with another PlayStation exclusive, bringing Wolverine to life as part of a shared universe with the stories that have already been told in the three Spider-Man games so far.
This means we could see some established characters make an appearance, as well as the potential for cameos and easter eggs, and the focus has already shifted to Marvel’s Wolverine following the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Details on Marvel’s Wolverine are scarce but it will be a standalone game and is likely to introduce new areas of the globe to Insomniac’s Marvel universe, with Madripoor and the Xavier Institute potentially making their big debuts.
There are plenty of Wolverine storylines from the comics that Insomniac can draw inspiration from and, if the Spider-Man games are anything to go by, we could be treated to a full roster of villains and enemies to face off against.
EA’s Iron Man
EA’s Montreal-based Motive Studio, which developed Star Wars: Squadrons and the Dead Space remake, is creating an “all-new single-player, third-person, action-adventure” Iron Man game, that will be developed using the Unreal Engine 5.
Marvel has given the studios it’s working with full creative freedom to sketch out its own universes, so it’s likely that EA’s Iron Man game, which is yet to receive an official title, will be in a different universe to Insomniac’s Spider-Man and Wolverine titles.
A release date is unknown, with the game still in pre-production, but it has been revealed that a “Community Council” has been created made up of Marvel and Iron Man fans, who will be “offering feedback on pretty much everything throughout the development process.”
At such an early stage, details are scarce but excitement is high as an Iron Man-centric game is long overdue.
EA’s Black Panther
EA isn’t stopping at Iron Man, however, as the newly created studio Cliffhanger Games, based in Seattle, has been confirmed to be working on a Black Panther title—which is rumored to be an open-world game.
The single-player, third-person game will likely be in the same shared universe as its sister Iron Man title, providing the potential for crossovers and cameos, Easter eggs, and perhaps even a partnership further down the line.
With the game in the very early stages of development, details on the Black Panther title are scarce but developer Kevin Stephens said it will “craft every aspect of Wakanda, its heroes, and our own original story with the attention to detail and authenticity that the world of Black Panther deserves.”
It seems highly likely the game will be set in Wakanda, which could serve as an open-world area, and will feature a wealth of characters that Black Panther fans will be familiar with.
Skydance New Media’s WW2 Black Panther & Captain America
Marvel Games’ decision to hand creative writes to studios to work with as it pleases means characters could appear in different titles in different ways, not being tied together in an interconnected story like the Marvel Cinematic Universe—which explains why another Black Panther game is also in development.
Skydance New Media is developing a title set in World War 2 that includes Black Panther, though not T’Challa and instead his grandfather, and Captain America as playable characters, as well as Howling Commandos member Gabriel Jones and Nanali, the leader of Wakandan Spy Network.
Again, details are scarce but the title is set to be a “narrative-driven, blockbuster action-adventure” and is yet to be officially named. Given the apparent differences from other games under the Marvel banner, it presents an intriguing situation.
If Skydance New Media’s game is to be a success, it opens the door significantly for other developers to take different characters from different eras and storylines to craft a story that is different from others out there.
Other rumors and potential sequels
As well as the four confirmed games to be under development, there are several rumors floating around regarding other partnerships with Marvel Games and the potential for sequels to existing titles.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 seems almost certain to get a sequel or a spin-off, while Marvel’s Wolverine is also unlikely to be limited to a single game. Beyond that, we could also get sequels to Marvel’s Midnight Suns and a new LEGO title under the Marvel umbrella.
In regards to rumors, EA’s partnership with Marvel confirmed it would be working on three games initially, with the third yet to be announced, though there are rumors it is a fighting game—while separate rumors suggest NetherRealm would be creating such a title, with Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon confirming he’d love to do a Marvel vs. DC game.
We could also see other partnerships from developers with Marvel Games, along with the continuation of those already in place, so the list of upcoming Marvel games could expand significantly in the future.
