In what was admittedly a brief CGI teaser for Skydance’s ensemble Marvel game, it has been confirmed that fans will play as Azzuri’s Black Panther and Steve Rogers’ Captain America, as well as Gabriel Jones, a Howling Commandos soldier, and Nanali, the Wakandan Spy Network’s leader. It is unclear what genre this untitled Marvel game falls into; whether it is a single-player experience, a two- or four-player co-op experience, or some other iteration on online multiplayer. Regardless, the shot at a new Black Panther and Captain America team-up is promising.
Skydance’s untitled Marvel ensemble will be met with speculation until more is shared. Ensemble, team-oriented superhero games have been popular lately, though there is unsure footing where a couple of them have been introduced. For example, Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy have now been shelved indefinitely, and DC has its own ensemble games arriving soon that will either enshrine the ensemble style or discourage it further. Considering Skydance’s untitled Marvel game is now in the mix, DC seems to be its top competition.
DC Now Leads the Charge in Superhero Ensemble Games
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Due to several studios getting redistributed, Marvel seemed to have dropped out of the superhero ensemble genre for the time being. Skydance’s Black Panther and Captain America game is the exception, though it is unlikely to release for the foreseeable future as not even a title was shared at the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase.
Before Skydance’s Marvel game releases, Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have had their day in the sun. Either DC title may present itself as a blueprint for ensemble superhero games to follow, or as a template for what not to follow, but Skydance’s Marvel game is likely far enough in development at this point that it has made its own design decisions regardless of Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's ideas.
Still, Skydance’s Marvel game will be met with comparison to these DC titles because of how recent they will be in players’ memories. If Gotham Knights’ leisurely approach to online co-op is successful, fans will want the same experience to be offered elsewhere. Moreover, both Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have the option for fans to play entirely in single-player and enjoy each character in their ensembles individually.
Skydance’s Marvel Game Can Go One of Two Ways With its Ensemble Gameplay
It will be difficult for Skydance’s Marvel game to avoid comparison to other superhero ensemble games as an inevitable byproduct of this growing trend. Insomniac seems to lead the standalone superhero genre with the Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise and the upcoming Marvel’s Wolverine, but comparisons can be made there too. If it's single-player, the Black Panther and Captain America epic set during WW2 could rival Insomniac with its own narrative-driven blockbuster, but with four playable characters. Playing as each character throughout the events of the game could provide a succinct single-player experience.
However, it is unclear if Skydance wants to juggle so many playable protagonists. Players may have the option to play in single-player with pseudo-control over other characters, such as in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Indeed, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was nearly the exception to Marvel’s unfortunate ensemble outings before its IP was sold, since its formula of a purely single-player experience with simple input commands for its ensemble companions was highly favorable. Otherwise, any number of co-op options may be the play. How Skydance handles this ensemble cast of characters will be interesting to see, but it may be a long while before fans hear more about the newly confirmed Marvel game.
Skydance’s Marvel game is in development.