As leaks and rumors regarding E3 2021 swirl ahead of the upcoming event, it's Marvel of all companies coming out strong. Not only are there rumors about a Guardians of the Galaxy game from Eidos Montreal being announced, but Marvel's Avengers Black Panther expansion will also be shown during Square Enix's press conference. Marvel fans can also add a third project to the list. A new leak claims that XCOM developer Firaxis is planning to reveal a new Marvel strategy game.
The leak comes from Reddit's increasingly infamous GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit. An unverified source shares a list of potential 2K reveals for E3, but warns readers to take the leak with "the hugest grain of salt." In this list is a "New Firaxis Game" listed as Codename CODA. This game is based on Marvel's IP and will be a turn-based action game. It's further described as "XCOM meets Marvel heroes." Additionally, the leak mentions that the project is bringing in certain "famous actors" for voicework.
With the leaker themself stating that their leak is unreliable, some might be quick to dismiss it. However, Bloomberg reporter and industry insider Jason Schreier added fuel to the fire by responding to a Twitter follower who linked the leak. Schreier doesn't outright confirm the leak, but says, "Yeah I was wondering if people would notice this leak." Calling attention to the 2K Marvel/XCOM leak means it deserves an extra look, at the least.
Firaxis did release a major XCOM 2 expansion in 2020, which is very recent. However, XCOM 2 itself was released in 2016, which gives it more than enough time to develop a new game. In other words, there's no reason not to believe that Firaxis could have a new XCOM or XCOM-related game ready to be announced as soon as E3. 2K isn't necessarily associated with licensed Marvel games, but Marvel's newfound willingness to work with new partners makes that less of an issue.
It's also very easy to see Marvel's IP being built into an XCOM-style game. Marvel's superheroes all have their own unique abilities and skills, which could be easily turned into a tactical experience where players create a team of superheroes to complete various missions. Some XCOM ideas, like permadeath, may not fit, but Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle shows that even high-difficulty tactical games can be approachable.
Without an official announcement, this leak should absolutely be considered unverified. Marvel and XCOM fans won't have to wait long to find out the truth, however. 2K is expected to have a press conference during E3 2021, though a date and time have yet to be revealed. Expect more information in the days to come.
A Marvel/XCOM is currently rumored to be in development.