2020 will be the first year for more than a decade where there will be no MCU movies released in theaters thanks to the ongoing pandemic. That thankfully can't be said for the video game world. Marvel's Avengers was released back in September, Fortnite is currently in the middle of a Marvel-themed season, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales is now swinging onto PS4 and PS5.
Things Looked Okay For A While There
The path to Marvel's Avengers was a rocky one. When the first trailer dropped for the game, well over a year before it would finally be released, the reaction to its character's designs was not favorable. Square Enix adjusted those designs, and during the final two months, before the game hit the market, the buzz surrounding the title was good. However, it fell flat almost instantly after release.
Even though the apparent plan was for Avengers to be a game that lasts for years and is kept fresh via constant patches and updates, that doesn't appear to be happening. The addition of new DLC heroes has been delayed, and the reveal that Spider-Man will be a PlayStation exclusive did not sit well with those playing on other platforms. Meanwhile, Fortnite's Marvel-themed season is generating more buzz than at any other point in the game's three-year history.
A lot of the elements Avengers has been critiqued for just aren't problems in Fortnite's take on Marvel. It's not a good look for Square Enix since Marvel is technically just a sideshow for Fortnite, and because Epic offers its game for free while Avengers is still $60. While Thor's Fortnite design didn't appeal to many, the addition of slightly more obscure Marvel heroes has been welcomed. You won't be finding the likes of She-Hulk and Dr. Doom in Avengers any time soon.
Let Fortnite Have Marvel Forever
Fortnite's take on Marvel is far more than just skins to unlock, win, and buy, though. This season has also featured a storyline for players to be invested in. Galactus has been on his way to the island since the start of the season and is still yet to arrive. When he does, the subsequent event will be a bigger spectacle than anything Marvel's Avengers has offered up so far. You can also make use of various superpowers too via Fortnite's ever-rotating Marvel-themed LTMs.
This is more than just our opinion too. The numbers are there for all to see as players continue to leave Marvel's Avengers in droves. Not only has Square Enix already lost millions on the game, but its active player count on Steam has also been subject to a steep drop off. The one question we've been left asking ourselves, and we're sure the bosses at Square Enix are doing the same, is how do you screw up Marvel?
Seriously. It's the biggest and most popular thing in the world right now. More than 20 movies over the course of a decade, one of which has become the highest-grossing movie at the box office ever. It felt as if we had reached a point where you could slap Iron Man's face on a bag of dog poo and people would be pre-ordering it as soon as they were given half a chance, but apparently, Marvel's logo doesn't necessarily equal success. Fortnite's Marvel season feels as if it has a dedicated team of comic book fans constantly working on it to make it better. Meanwhile, Marvel's Avengers feels like it has been left in the hands of one guy who has been told to keep an eye on it, but he fell asleep six weeks ago.