Marvel's Avengers has not been the big success that Square Enix was hoping for it to be. While it has managed to sell millions of copies, the game has not been able to recoup its development costs, turning out to be a rather massive flop its publisher. However, there is some hope that the developers will be able to save Marvel's Avengers through its post-launch content, designed to get lapsed players to return to the game and keep others from quitting it.
The first test for Marvel's Avengers' DLC was the recently released Kate Bishop DLC. Adding a new character and new story content to the game, there was hope that Marvel's Avengers Kate Bishop DLC would set a precedent for high quality post-launch content for the game. Unfortunately, it appears to have been mostly a misfire, and while the expansion certainly has some redeeming qualities, overall it doesn't bode well for Marvel's Avengers' future
Gameplay
When one looks at the Marvel's Avengers reviews and the general reception to the game online, it becomes apparent what most people liked and disliked about it. Generally speaking, Marvel's Avengers' story campaign was well-received, especially the linear single-player levels that focused on one hero at a time. This is no surprise, as developer Crystal Dynamics has a reputation for making high quality single-player experiences.
What a lot of people did not like about Marvel's Avengers were its War Zones, multiplayer levels with repetitive enemy encounters and objectives that are meant to make up most of the endgame content. Marvel's Avengers' War Zones have their fans, but a common thread in critical reviews and fan comments online indicate that they are disliked by a large portion of the community. Unfortunately, the Kate Bishop DLC is comprised almost entirely of these kinds of levels.
To make matters worse, many of the Kate Bishop DLC missions take place in areas recycled from the base game, with alterations to puzzles and objectives to fit the story. Marvel's Avengers fans who returned hoping to get more of the high quality content from the single-player campaign likely left the Kate Bishop DLC highly disappointed, and it could keep them from jumping back in when other DLC heroes are released. After all, if the gameplay is going to be more of what most people didn't like as opposed to the linear levels that players did like, then they aren't giving a very compelling reason to come back.
Delayed Launch
Video game delays happen, especially right now as the world is grappling with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But regardless of why the Avengers Kate Bishop DLC was delayed, it being pushed back was unfortunate. The more time put between the base game's launch and the Kate Bishop DLC's release meant that even more people likely moved on from the game for something new, making it less likely that they would return for the expansion.
It may also have shaken consumer confidence in the game. It may make fans think that they will not be able to count on a regular release schedule for Marvel's Avengers' expansions, and could make them hesitant from investing more time (or money) into the experience. It doesn't help that Marvel's Avengers' next-gen versions were delayed to next year as well, which could also hurt consumer confidence.
Things like this can add up, and make Marvel's Avengers' concurrent player count drop even lower. And this can lead to even bigger problems down the line.
Marvel's Avengers is Losing Square Enix Money
As previously mentioned, Marvel's Avengers is losing Square Enix money, and a lot of it. Reports indicate that Marvel's Avengers sales were about 60% of what Square Enix expected, and the company has lost tens of millions of dollars from developing it. Producing new content for Marvel's Avengers costs even more money, and if people aren't showing up to play it, then that could see Square Enix pull the plug on future expansions.
Right now, Marvel's Avengers fans have a Hawkeye expansion to look forward to, with Black Panther teased as well. Those on PlayStation are expecting some Spider-Man DLC in 2021, but if Marvel's Avengers fails to become profitable, one has to imagine that ending development on these projects is an option that's on the table. Or at least, maybe development will cease after 2021, when the currently in-development expansions are released.
However, this is partly based on speculation. There may be contracts in place preventing Square Enix from doing that, and maybe the game is starting to become profitable. Perhaps the Kate Bishop DLC has been a hit with fans and is helping the game get a new lease on life. Square Enix has been quiet on the matter so far, so all fans can do is speculate for now.
A Great Story
If Marvel's Avengers doesn't get to continue, it would be a shame. While the gameplay in the Kate Bishop DLC has not been all that well-received, the storyline mostly has. The Kate Bishop DLC story sets up some very interesting things moving forward, including potential new "big bad" threats that could be building up to a full-fledged campaign. Crystal Dynamics is great at putting together compelling stories, and so hopefully everything gets resolved and fans aren't left with a cliffhanger, like what sometimes happens when a popular TV is canceled unexpectedly.
As we've seen with games like Final Fantasy 14 and No Man's Sky, there is still time to save Marvel's Avengers. It may take years, and it's unclear if Square Enix is willing to invest the necessary time and effort to make it happen. Time will tell.
Marvel's Avengers is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.