Unfortunately for the comic book franchise's biggest fans, Marvel's Avengers hasn't had the smoothest of launches following its September release date. Avengers debuted to a number of significant bugs and glitches, while players also noted that the title's lack of post-game content made sticking with it following the campaign a chore.
It seems Crystal Dynamics is aware that Marvel's Avengers needs to make some significant improvements to keep fans invested, recently debuting a lengthy blog post detailing some long-awaited changes coming to the game. Although the post holds some big announcements, the biggest is that Marvel's Avengers' Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 ports have been pushed back so the team can work on making the core game the best it can be.
In the statement, Crystal Dynamics is clear that a lot of changes need to be made in the coming months, with the decision to delay being made to ensure the studio is able to "deliver a next-gen experience showcasing all that this game is meant to be." It promises that fans can expect more concrete details in the months to come, however, in the meantime, they're free to continue playing the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Marvel's Avengers on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. According to the team, there will still be noticeable benefits when playing on the next-generation systems, citing faster loading times and a better frame rate.
The studio also promises that saved games will still be transferrable between consoles and players will be able to continue enjoying multiplayer with their friends on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That being said, the announcement does have many questioning the strategy of Marvel's Avengers going forward, with fans concerned the project could be in serious trouble.
The blog post comes shortly after a recent report detailing that Marvel's Avengers PC player base was dipping below 1,000 in recent weeks. For a game that only released a month ago, those are some seriously concerning numbers, with many wondering whether the game is doomed to follow in the footsteps of titles like Anthem. Crystal Dynamics' post does highlight that the studio is committed to reigniting the game's fanbase, so hopefully it's enough to prove to early-adopters that the title has the legs to grow into something truly special.
Alongside the announcement of the PlayStation 5 and Series X delay of Marvel's Avengers, the post highlights new details about the recent teased Tachyon Rift missions, a late-game wave-based mission type known as the Mega Hive, and a difficult four-player raid known as the AIM Cloning Lab. It seems the studio is looking to focus on making sure the post-game content keeps players tuning into Marvel's Avengers for months to come.
Marvel's Avengers is out now on PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.
Source: Square Enix