Marvel News 002: multi-game partnership with Square Enix
the Avengers Project
[more news in 2018]
Chance of Success = deservedly 100%
and beyond considering the amount of potential and talents behind it!
and beyond considering the amount of potential and talents behind it!
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Press Release
Marvel Entertainment and Square Enix announced today a multi-year, multi-game partnership, leading with the reveal of The Avengers project. This newly established partnership pairs the creative minds at Marvel and Square Enix for one of the most powerful alliances in interactive entertainment.-
A game based on beloved Marvel heroes, The Avengers project is being crafted by Crystal Dynamics – longtime developers of the award winning Tomb Raider series – in collaboration with lauded Deus Ex developer Eidos-Montréal.
The Avengers project is being designed for gamers worldwide and will be packed with all the characters, environments, and iconic moments that have thrilled longtime fans of the franchise. Featuring a completely original story, it will introduce a universe gamers can play in for years to come. More details on The Avengers project and other games will be announced in 2018
a case for Marvel:
+ Positive +
successful movie empire with proven and recognized brand and distinguished characters (MCU with Captain America and Iron Man) with an also thriving television division (abc's Agents of SHIELD and Netflix's the Defenders).
? Main contention ?
everything is connected and it is both a crutch and a boost at the same time, making everything that happen have weight behind them and would affect each other but also would limit them from straying too far on their own and affect the established universe to its detriment.
- Negative -
no diverse color of their own between the almost a dozen movies over the years as they follow too closely their formula that they all started to blend together without anything stand on its own,
video games set in their universe have basically never strayed too far from the unfortunately common cash grab console and mobile tie ins, basically simple kid games and a cheap MMO.
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a case for Square Enix:
+ Positive +
Successful game empire spanning throughout the industry across the globe with multiple franchises under their belts and multiple genres covered.
? Main contention ?
Having been actively involved with their subsidiaries' projects and their directions, how much would they play part in this particular endeavor with Marvel as their partner?
- Negative -
EA's infamous reputation to swallow smaller developers whole and force them to follow their every direction to many of their demise was still a possibility as far as big gaming company is concerned.
+ Positive +
A longstanding hold and a main stay of the industry since 1993 that transition from homegrown properties (Legacy of Kain and Gex) to spearhead the resurgence of Tomb Raider and rebooting it to critical and mass acclaim and even being the base for the new movie as well,
having being recognized for their expertise with third person action and platforming genre in the female-led franchise, it's safe to assume this Avengers Project would play in the same ballpark and their tendency to be cinematic with action heavy moments and set pieces aplenty certainly helps.
? Main contention ?
Having to now follow through the whims of their parent company that's not at their own volition after the 2009 acquisition, their mostly self-made success with a certain Lara Croft might have to be put aside to give full attention to this new massive project that's a proven concept but still risky,
with a buffer year from their most recent released game, it is possible for them to already begin its production along with the HD version of Rise of the Tomb Raider.
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A longstanding hold and a main stay of the industry since 1993 that transition from homegrown properties (Legacy of Kain and Gex) to spearhead the resurgence of Tomb Raider and rebooting it to critical and mass acclaim and even being the base for the new movie as well,
having being recognized for their expertise with third person action and platforming genre in the female-led franchise, it's safe to assume this Avengers Project would play in the same ballpark and their tendency to be cinematic with action heavy moments and set pieces aplenty certainly helps.
? Main contention ?
Having to now follow through the whims of their parent company that's not at their own volition after the 2009 acquisition, their mostly self-made success with a certain Lara Croft might have to be put aside to give full attention to this new massive project that's a proven concept but still risky,
with a buffer year from their most recent released game, it is possible for them to already begin its production along with the HD version of Rise of the Tomb Raider.
- Negative -
The inevitable pushing aside the tomb raiding saga that would force the gamers to at least wait a couple of years for the next follow up although a Marvel original IP is a good alternative.
a case for Eidos Montréal:
+ Positive +
Being conjured up in 2007 to follow up the famed Deus Ex series, their surprised success with Human Revolution and then Thief put their name on the map and their collaboration with Crystal Dynamic for Tomb Raider games proves their versatile abilities to go from one genre to another.
? Main contention ?
Having to diverge away from their main franchise, a fresh start with a new IP from scratch would be a nice diversion and a proper goal to set their course back on track although it be a long way away,
currently framed as the supporting studio to the lead, they might only give ideas for the project while taking a back seat and provide services when necessary although the Deus Ex signatures of choices with varied consequences along with the RPG elements could be brought along to enrich it.
Being conjured up in 2007 to follow up the famed Deus Ex series, their surprised success with Human Revolution and then Thief put their name on the map and their collaboration with Crystal Dynamic for Tomb Raider games proves their versatile abilities to go from one genre to another.
? Main contention ?
Having to diverge away from their main franchise, a fresh start with a new IP from scratch would be a nice diversion and a proper goal to set their course back on track although it be a long way away,
currently framed as the supporting studio to the lead, they might only give ideas for the project while taking a back seat and provide services when necessary although the Deus Ex signatures of choices with varied consequences along with the RPG elements could be brought along to enrich it.
Despite the excellent sequel with Mankind Divided, the studio bit more than they could chew.
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“The Avengers game will come when we have the right partner, that has the right vision, that has the time to develop a strong, competitive triple-A title and wants to do it right,” explained TQ Jefferson, Marvel’s head of games, in an interview with IGN back in 2014.
a case for the multi-game partnership:
+ Positive +
With both gaming studios have successful franchises under their belts in their own genre, this possibly lucrative deal with the main premise of the Avengers ripe for pickings is in safe hands.
? Main contention ?
The first announced Marvel new game is PS4's Spider-Man by Ratchet and Clank developer Insomniac, a step for the new triple-A game wave in the right direction and this Avengers Project would slowly but surely follow in the same ilk.
- Negative -
having a sordid history of truly despicable movie tie-ins to make up and follow in their foot steps, the embarrassing reputation surrounding them would still provide some skepticism around it,
triple-A game development cycle would conventionally follow a year after the reveal with the eventual release around although it isn't known to be speedy and delays are common unfortunately,
the always dreaded possibility of the game(s) being a cheap cash grab of a well known property.
At the time of the 2016 E3 announcement, Marvel’s vice president of games Jay Ong reiterated the publisher’s commitment. "The question is, 'How we can get there?'” asked Ong, referring to the search for triple-A quality. “The thing we landed on is to be really selective with who we partner with. Extremely selective. Right now I would say that out of every 10 opportunities we look at, we maybe do one."
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our possible dream Avengers game:
[speculation] genre: Third Person Action with light RPG elements & decisions that matter
(in the same veins of Tomb Raider and Deus Ex)
+ Positive +
free roaming camera control allowing smooth transition between scenes while travelling through the expansive recognizable locations synonymous to the Universe
(also if you're one of the Avengers or a new character, it'd be perfect to marvel at your costume!),
RPG now is one of the biggest aspects of the industry used worldwide to make the in-game characters more accessible, relatable and personal for the gamers and that same ability to be applied on beloved Marvel properties would mean the world to their fans especially if it's done well,
with Crystal Dinamics' expertise handling the development, controlling the Avengers such Hulk and Thor yourself travelling around effortlessly while Iron Man and Captain America fight with the aliens on the ground with gauntlet pulses from afar and superhuman punches and kicks in close up would be a sight to see especially with the studio's effective tendency to be as cinematic as possible!
Eidos' signature speech mechanic would be the most intimate moments between your character and the superheroes you're interacting with, whether in in-game engine (Human Revolution) or pre-rendered (Tomb Raider) with your own choices deciding where it would go.
? Main contention ?
with Tomb Raider franchise goes hand in hand with puzzle solving platforming aside from traversing a vast landscape, how much would it be transferred into this new IP? would it be naturally for the premise or would it stand out as an odd addition?
revolving around inventory management, crafting equipment, upgrading weapons, and changing wardrobe from Tomb Raider, those are elements of RPG and the genre is perfect for superheroes to play in while another RPG element prevalent in Deus Ex is the importance of choices and how much would you affect the trajectory of the overall storyline (more so than Telltale's games) and if you can personally affect how your favorite franchise is going even only for you, that's a dream come true!
- Negative -
in every sense of the word, RPG would strip off the heroes of all of his powers and let you earn it one by one in time and it's a worn down trope but essential in the experience more so if it made sense in the storyline and should be an addition instead of detriment to the Project,
the FPS genre is possibly would not be used (or maybe in a little segment somewhere in the game) at least for this first project in the partnership but down the line would be a great change of pace for the second game in the series, giving a new (first person) perspective on the premise.
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[stated] multi-year multi-game partnership with the Avengers Project packed with all the established characters, signature environments and iconic moments in a completely original story introducing a universe gamers can play in for years to come.
(in the same veins of Tomb Raider and Deus Ex)
+ Positive +
"longtime fans of the franchise," that phrase would indicate the characters from the MCU as well as every aspect around them since it started with Iron Man although there is possibility of the comic counterpart from its expansive history and mythology to be included as well,
AN ORIGINAL STORY! WHAT?! A NEW UNIVERSE FOR YEARS TO COME!
? Main contention ?
would the events in the game would mirror the MCU counterpart exactly or tangentially, with similar elements would be used in this interactive medium and how much the player could affect them?
a whole new universe for gamers to play in for years, it would be a monumental task to create one from scratch with existing established characters only with different storyline and trajectory for them to go down in that would cater specifically for the game medium and how players would play with.
- Negative -
using the established characters and universe (at least conceptually), the other more obscure Marvel characters would be sidelined at least for now but possibly would be considered in the future,
might not be able to exactly copy what happen in the MCU but a different perspective on familiar concepts under a new througline would be for the better in the long run,
Cast
?
~ Synopsis ~
#REASSEMBLE
Possibly bringing back the Avengers together after the event in the trailer, playing as the heroes themselves or a new character tasked to bring them to face a new threat just like Agent Coulson.
(Source: Marvel Cinematic Universe [the Avengers], Publisher: Square Enix [Final Fantasy franchise], Head Developer: Crystal Dinamics [Tomb Raider, Supporting Developer: Eidos Montreal [Deus Ex])
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