For years now it has been rumored that NetherRealm Studios is working on a Marvel vs. DC game. Playful teases and comments from NetherRealm’s Ed Boon have bolstered these rumors, and until the developer’s upcoming fighting game is announced, there will always be speculation about if a Marvel vs. DC game is in the works or not. Now, many other rumors point toward the existence of Mortal Kombat 12, which could well be NetherRealm’s next title instead. If a Marvel vs. DC game is still being planned, however, there are huge character choices that must be considered.
A fighting game that pits comics conglomerates Marvel and DC together needs its staple characters. There are several characters that would undoubtedly be added to a featured roster in Marvel vs. DC, and several that are not known as well but could introduce incredible mechanics of their own. DC characters are inevitably going to be less exciting when revealed compared to Marvel characters, simply because NetherRealm has featured a plethora of them already in previous games. Nevertheless, there are a number of exciting characters from each that would be worthy additions.
Marvel Characters Have the Benefit of the Doubt in a Marvel vs. DC Game
Obvious considerations on the Marvel side would be characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Wolverine. Marvel has several team affiliations that NetherRealm could pluck characters from, such as the Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Fantastic Four, giving it great diversity in terms of fans’ favorite collections of heroes.
Captain America could be an interesting character, considering how projectile-heavy recent NetherRealm games have been. He could hurl his vibranium shield as a ricocheting projectile itself but also block incoming projectiles with it. In terms of villains who could be considered from Marvel, NetherRealm would have its hands full with Doctor Octopus, Mephisto, Green Goblin, or Taskmaster, to name only a few.
No matter which characters NetherRealm chooses for its Marvel roster, they will be exciting additions nonetheless because NetherRealm hasn't built a fighting game around them before. It will therefore be interesting to see which actors it hires to play them, what original and inspired skins they will wear, and what their gameplay and animations will be like. Marvel characters would have the benefit of the doubt, whereas there would be much more expected from DC characters who would be returning from Injustice and Injustice 2.
DC Characters Have More Expected of Them in a Marvel vs. DC Game
Having Batman and Superman as Marvel vs. DC's lead characters would be relatively underwhelming, for example, because they have now been in three individual NetherRealm Studios games in the past. To keep things fresh, Batman could be brought back as Terry McGinnis instead of Bruce Wayne, and perhaps have an entirely different moves list and mechanics as a result.
Reprising characters in a unique IP such as Marvel vs. DC would hopefully mean that they have new designs or gameplay, but it would still be more of the same characters that fans have already seen from NetherRealm. Indeed, Injustice and Injustice 2 have now featured many DC characters, and it would be difficult for a Marvel vs. DC game to not add Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern and so on due to their fame. That may be an unfair metric, but DC could still put forth some compelling characters that NetherRealm has not yet featured.
For example, Beast Boy has yet to be adapted into a NetherRealm game and would be perfect with his animalistic shapeshifting ability. Otherwise, DC has many villains such as Clayface, Rose Wilson’s Ravager, Metallo, or the Riddler who could all be creatively interpreted in a Marvel vs. DC game from NetherRealm.
A Marvel vs. DC game from NetherRealm Studios is rumored to be in development.