Following Sony's double punch of Marvel's Wolverine and Spider-Man 2 last week, some Xbox fans have felt left out of the comic book universe. Since then, there's been a call by members of the community for Xbox to deliver their own superhero franchise to combat PlayStation's fast-growing franchises of their own.
Over the weekend, many tweeted out or even private messaged reporters such as Windows Central's Jez Corden, saying they would love to see Xbox take a stab at the superhero genre.
However, Xbox fans such as Klobrille believe the brand shouldn't go down this path. Instead, they would like to see the company double down on their current trajectory of first-party games.
Everyone will feel differently about the matter. While we would love to see some superhero games, we're just as excited to be treated to many first-party games on the horizon such as Fable and Perfect Dark, along with new IPs in the form of Redfall and Avowed.
It's not as if Xbox is shying away from beloved franchises from the movie world, either. At the beginning of the year, Bethesda announced an Indiana Jones game, and while it's not specifically been confirmed to be an Xbox exclusive, we hold no doubt it'll enter Game Pass and perhaps become the definitive version of the title.
But where do you sit on the topic? Do you think Xbox should enter the realm of superhero games more exhaustively? Or should they continue the path they're following? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments 73
Besides…
Xbox is definitely missing out on this. Sony has very cleverly made a superhero gaming shared universe. Xbox needs to splurge some cash, maybe into DC if Marvel is being taken. Imagine rights to a brand new Superman or Wonder Woman Game for Xbox. Then diversify by doing something completely different with a Joker game. Point is, the possibilities are endless however a lot of money would be needed for these IPs
I didn't respond as I feel yes and no.
Yes sure they are missing out by not having an exclusive one. But they only gave so many studios and trying to find one to specialize in making a great superhero game would not be an easy task.
So unless they buy Rocksteady (also securing a DC license to make games). I dont think there is a easy fix to just make a super hero game
Yes? A bit? This boom of super heroes games is new, as is Disney’s new licensing approach. Zenimax branch is already licensing Indiana Jones, so I would not be shocked if going forward they were the primary developer arm of licensed games within Xbox Games Studios, and that might bring us some Marvel licenses.
Anyways we getting Guardians of the Galaxy soon, that looking very cool, and that kinda came out of nowhere, so there might be other stuff cooking from third parties.
Let Xbox do what they are doing. Letting their vast studios make creative and immersive games. Also expounding on GP as incredible as it already is. I've always said this about Xbox ever since they (Xbox) wanted to make an Uncharted equivalent. Just make a cool adventure game.
Still, we're not going to act like Xbox wouldn't profit hugely from having these hero types of games on GP.
@Chaudy how has Sony made a shared super hero universe? So far the only universe sharing is within the obvious sequels (Spider-Man > Miles > Spider-Man 2)
@Tharsman it's what they are building towards, the sequels will be set in a shared universe. https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/marvels-spider-man-2-wolverine-ps5-playstation-shared-universe/
Yes they should start their own DC gaming universe.
@The_New_Butler I would not expect any more news on Indians Jones until there is more to show, and that game is not likely coming until as far as 2024, I think. Maybe we hear about it next years E3 session.
It's a weird one.
On one hand, I'd love a high quality superhero game from a 1st party studio.
On the flip side, that means you're missing out on a studio creating an original IP.
I'd personally prefer the superhero games be left to 3rd party studios.
@Chaudy honestly, reading that article, there are a lot of “might” and “seems.”
Even if true that those games will share a universe with any potential of crossover, I would definitively not go as far as you did and claim they already settup such a universe. Such thing is not a thing until the crossovers start happening and impacting the story of all involved games.
@The_New_Butler why waste that when they just recently dropped the Starfield and Elder Scrolls 6 tweets? It’s best to hold some punches for the future.
Honestly I don't even care if it's exclusive. If I could play X-Men Legends 3 or The Punisher on my xbox, I couldn't care less if Playstation gamers get to play it as well. That being said, I DO think MS is dropping the ball a bit on the comic IP's. Those are instantly recoginizeable IP's. I can guarantee there are people that are now considering a PS5 once they saw Wolverine.
Moar games! If Marvel stuff ends up exclusive to PS, I'm fine. I can has backlog. I just recently dove into PS4 and it's not like Game Pass is slowing down… by the time I'm ready I'm sure there'll be a PS5 mini/slim or something to give me access to whatever exclusive stuff I'm currently missing out on. A PS5 won't fit on my shelf (even had trouble fitting a PS4 slim on the same shelf as my workhorse MBP and XsX). My boss asked if we need to upgrade our office PS4 (or rather our recreational gaming stuff in general) so I might get any PS5 need satisfied over at the office. TLDR; Moar games. I'm happy either way. And I'm absolutely fine if Xbox take the original IP path.
I've said this multiple times, it's not about Sony doing something and Microsoft having to do the same thing. It's about Microsoft needing to offer variety because they now have a service that they want to appeal to everyone. In order to appeal to everyone, you need to have all kinds of games on that service. This includes narrative-driven games as well as superhero games and more, i.e. games that Sony is offering a lot of.
Simply put, it doesn't matter that Sony is doing it. If Microsoft wants to make Game Pass more appealing to everyone (which they want because that's their goal with the service), then they have to offer these games as well.
Personally, I've grown fond of superheros in media. I love watching Marvel/DC TV shows on Netflix and HBO and I enjoy the video games as well. I would love to see Microsoft invest more in this area. Perhaps we could see more DC games, I'd definitely love that.
@XxEvilAshxX damn you for bringing up the Punisher, how I can’t stop thinking about a Punisher third person cover based shooter by the Coalition…
If I wanted Sony games, I'd buy a PS.
Its weird because before we didn’t have many high quality Super Hero games - weird because the MCU is smashing it completely. The best were the Arkham games. Then Insomniac comes out with Spiderman, which is solid - but makes sense since Sony owns the character.
But then the fact it’s now expanded past just Spider-man characters is the issue for Xbox. Insomniac have proven their worth so they can basically do any license they want. Just a shame it’s not going to be Multiplatform. I feel like this has caught Xbox off guard a bit. They missed a trick by not getting there first.
The biggest film properties are Marvel and Star Wars… and Sony have managed to get exclusives (timed for Star Wars sure) with both. They’re going hard on the licenses. Essentially Sony can use other brands to sell Playstations. And the casuals will eat that up - and I don’t blame them.
I don’t want Xbox to follow suit as such; we really don’t need a million super-hero games. However, it would suck if Sony doesn’t stop at just Wolverine and KOTOR. And I feel like they won’t.
Personally no. I’m burnt out on the whole cinematic/game Marvel universe. It’s become a stale genre. I see these trailers and I just think ‘oh, more marvel stuff’. It’s nothing special anymore imo.
Saying that, I feel MS are missing out not having an alternative. Games like Spiderman are the mainstream, they sell well and shift consoles.
While not a super-hero fan, I did try Spiderman on my PS4. I liked the 3rd person, go-anywhere attitude it had. Climb a building. See that building in the far distance? Get over there and climb that one too. While I was Spiderman in that scene, it really could be any fictional character. Nothing made it just "Spiderman". It was just a city scape with its own rules, own story, and own bad guys. Xbox could do this too.
@The_New_Butler I doubt the announcement of Wolverine will sell consoles today. It will make people plan to get them, true, but someone that was not planning to do so already over spider man must be a big Wolverine fan that does not care that much for the rest of marvel, and I easily see them holding back until the game actually launches.
I could care less about comic book video games. I rather have a make your own super hero game aka City of Heroes or Freedom Fighters. Reading the same story over and over is on par with remakes and reboots.
I think Xbox should stick to what they're doing, No need to copy Playstation when Xbox is doing so well..
Ms should tap todd mcfarlane and create a spawn game.
@Tharsman they've set the foundation up, it's highly likely the sequels will be cross-overs.
Before Batman Arkham I would have said no...but that proved how good superhero games can be
Not like Sony no.
I want super power/hero games where i can create my own character/powers/cloths etc.
Something like they did with saintrow where u have a Super president.
But then done better lol.
@Tharsman I think you're under-estimating just how popular of a character Wolverine is. Add to that the fact that there hasn't been a good Wolvie game in over a decade (and will be probably 15 years by the time the PS5 game releases). Don't be surprised if it also correlates with his introduction to the MCU now that Disney has acquired the rights.
Licensed games have really come full circle, lol.
sony have spiderman, wolverine, iron man, venom is in spiderman 2 and technically thor is in god of war.
what else is left
Certainly wouldn’t hurt them. They specialize in shooters and western RPG so this would help diversify and grab some new audience. Likely a missed opportunity if they were given an option.
I would like something for sure. It's all about variety so having something that's a great single player campaign about superheroes would be great. They don't have to have tons of them but a few would be fantastic. I even don't care if they are exclusive or not. A Blade, Ghost Rider or Punisher would work great.
rolls eyes This is ammunition for the Ponies looking for a new narrative to crap on Xbox. The Xbox has no games rhetoric has ran stale and untrue so now it's Xbox has no super hero games. Yeah, but you know what it does have, Western RPG's and Bethesda and titles like Fable Halo and Indiana Jones. Insomniac are great but look what's happened, they've become the spider man game machine, and oh, one CGI trailer of wolverine which is so far out that anyone buying a PS5 purely for that reason will have hell of a wait. Deathloop reviews are a solid reason why Xbox don't need super hero games, either. All that matters is that companies get good games, whatever the genre. This type of discussion is fish food for fanboys looking for a new not debate on whose got the better console. Besides there will be tons of Third party studios making hero games, it just so happens sony has one studio which now have their hands tied to be the Marvel money maker. Boil it down and nobody wants a 500 pound console JUST for one type of game, they want GAMES, right now, Xbox has tons of games slate for the next few years (that we know of) This whole superhero discussion will fade out, well, maybe it won't because so far it's the only valid if not shallow argument Ponies can make for owning a Playstation. Which is sad, when you think about it
@XxEvilAshxX I think you're under-estimating just how popular of a character Wolverine is.
I used to work on a comic book store, I know how popular the character is. I would say these days he is nowhere near as popular as Deadpool, but he still damned big.
My point is not that Wolverine wont sell consoles, my point is outside of hardcore gamers, most people dont actually buy a console for a game that has not been released, and the hardcore gamers already were planning to get a PS5. Once that game comes out, it will sell PS5 consoles on its own.
As I said on the Spider Man article, while a superhero game or two might be nice, think it's the massive brand recognition the IPs have that's the "get".
If someone loves Spider Man or Star Wars they might now think "I'll maybe get a PS5" if they were getting a console but didn't have much exposure to games outside third party stuff on their phones.
Indiana Jones I'm looking forward to but there's been one meh film in my lifetime so far.
An epic game set in a global known IP like Bond or Game of Thrones (not so much now, I'd probably prefer Last Kingdom) would be more a counter punch to this - an IP that will sell consoles to people who aren't already gamers on one side or the other
@Tharsman @XxEvilAshxX I agree - my young cousin loves Fortnite, so his first question on a console is whether it can run that, his next would be how many Marvel games can he play on it (Spider Man, Hulk, Iron Man and Wolverine are favourites).
I can tell his parents how much they might save with Game Pass till I'm blue in the face, and when he's older I can probably talk him into a Series S so we can game together more.
But he's now team blue, and apart from second consoles you have to really screw up for someone to change console brands - for example PS3 releasing so long after the 360 and expensive, the One with Kinect being expensive (among other screw ups).
Once someone's in the door, it's difficult for them to leave in the age of digital games and friends on the console's network - so big blockbuster IPs are a way to get the customers in so they'll stick around for the great gaming IPs too
@GunValkyrie I'd love a Superman game (probably more than the Batman games which I found too dark and dull to play) but I do wonder how you make a campaign about such an overpowered hero without falling into the "everyone has kryptonian" trap. Same for Wonder Woman although a little easier.
Otherwise I wonder if the new WB game will use Harley Quinn from the films (and maybe Joker) as she's probably the other popular character from DC (Batman hasn't really been great since the Nolan films).
Issue is the DC universe has had misfires in film, and doesn't have the wild popularity of the MCU.
Annoyingly Spider Man is one of the popular ones remaining in the next phase - an Iron Man epic would be great right now but in a few years he might be old news. No easy answers I guess
It would be cool but i wouldn't want them to just go and get an exlusive Superman or Wonder Woman game. Id love to see them work with creators from Image to make more unique games than what we've seen from Spiderman and Batman.
Invinceable, Witchblade, Monstress, etc. And of course, Spawn.
I'm a big superhero fan to the point that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine announcements has made me rethink my plan to upgrade from a Series S to an X or 2023 equivalent in favour of a PS5. I've only recently got an Xbox having had a PS4 with the first Spider-Man being a favourite of mine. So personally I'd love to see Microsoft adapt a superhero/comic book franchise. The Boys would be an interesting one to adapt as it's more adult orientated although I have no idea how to make a game out of it.
But to be honest if Xbox Games Studios keep producing games like Psychonauts 2 I won't be jumping ship anytime soon.
@LX_FENIX An Invincible game would be amazing!
@Clankylad Good shout, Dr Strange seems to be a big character this phase (and last) so got the "big IP" draw, has cool powers but still potentially vulnerable enough to make the game interesting.
And it might be a bit like Portal which would be good
Could also have drop ins from other heroes during fights too (via the portals)
Yeah, of course Xbox needs a superhero game, you need something to get the casual audience to take a look at your console. Any avenger or superman/batman is worth a lot more than Masterchief in marketing terms.
The problem with trying to "counter" Sony's superhero games means Microsoft needs to get hold of a superhero franchise (making their own isn't going to go down well) and the only one that will work is DC, but obviously, DC is tied to Warner Brothers own gaming arm, so there's a whole thing there.
But even then there is a pretty heavy DC/Marvel fan divide, and weird "anything Marvel is MCU" thinking, Making Batman games isn't going to attract those on the "other side" of those factors, and just as Spider-Man (a character I like) didn't sell me on getting a PS4, the flip would be as true.
So ultimately "eh" I could go either way on this.
I’d rather there be less superhero games overall. The Marvel games were the detriment of Sony’s presentation for me.
Let’s be honest: every game is in some way a superhero game. As the protagonist of the story you likely have something special that sets you apart from the common enemies and NPC’s. In many cases it is your human reactions that set you apart from the AI making you super heroic in that world (like Captain N!)
How for example is Wolverine any more ‘super’ than Sparrow from Fable 2 or Sonic the Hedgehog?
The reason Xbox is appealing to me more than Playstation right now is that Xbox is producing games that work like games featuring worlds designed for games that appeals to people who like games, while Sony is focusing on mass market mainstream mixed-media brand empires.
I have zero interest in the latter, and loads of interest in the former. If Playstation is the default console for the ultra-casual mainstream that wants to push buttons and watch their favorite global brands interact with them and Xbox wants to be a console focused on diverse, niche, and nerdy enthusiasts, that's great, I know which product is marketed toward me and gets my money more regularly. The last thing we need is every console going for mass market mainstream "inoffensive content acceptable to everyone, and Beijing-approved" content. I know that's big money. I know big money is what they're all after. But the most bleak gaming world I can imagine is a gaming world where niche/nerdy/enthusiast oriented "gamer's games" vanish or move into the shadows and gaming is dominated by the same franchises as film, in all directions. There's different markets, and the Disney-everything market is absolutely not a market I'm a part of, and really won't be engaging with it.
I say this as someone that preordered Spiderman and has the collector's pin to prove it. I bought it because it was an Insomniac game, not because Spiderman interested me even slightly.
Marvel is massive and is a system seller, with an exclusive Marvel/DC game on xbox the subs for gamepass would surely increase.
And people going on about sony relying on marvel games etc they have so far just used the spiderman universe for two games 😂 you make it sound like they've made tonnes of marvel games and they have a lot more than wolverine and spiderman 2 coming out over the next few years 🙃
@RadioHedgeFund
I was about to say the exact same thing. Master Chief is a supersoldier in a high-tech armor, kind of Capitain America + Ironman. Kratos is an invincible god with a bad temper, like Thor + Wolverine. Corvo Attano manipulates magic, mind, matter, space and time like five or six different X-men combined...
What people are asking for are licensed superheroes, and in that point I'll have to agree with Jez Corden: it costs money and you lose freedom on telling the story that you want with the gameplay elements that you want.
Fun fact: while Marvel's Spiderman was a huge hit on PS4 and PS5, Marvel's Avengers was a flop.
You know, because Marvel's Spiderman is a great videogame and Marvel's Avengers is a hot pile of garbage.
At the end of the day people are looking for good videogames, with or without superheroes. And bad games will fail, no matter how many known licensed characters are there.
@UltimateOtaku91 Sony PS5 era first party that we know about: Spiderman remaster, Souls remaster, Spiderman Miles, HFW, GT7, GOW2, Returnal, R&C, Drake Remaster, Spiderman 2, Wolverine.
4 Marvel games 7 non-Marvel games. Almost 1/3 the roster is Marvel, plus heavy marketing for multiplat Guardians helps set the mood. That's a lotta marvel.
Adjust the numbers with Star Wars and we get 5 Disney licensed exclusive or timed exclusives to 7 non-Disney licensed games. Sure there's other stuff in there for people not into Marvel, but a lot of their output is tied up in that one basket. Even if it's a safe, profitable basket, it does mean people with other tastes have a lot less attaching them to the platform.
Maybe that all changes with PSVR2 next year. But then they're probably talking about a $1000+ combined console to play their creative stuff.
No. For starters I am sick and tired of super hero stuff all over media and being hyped up in media. The entire concept is just played out and over-saturated in my opinion. Couldn't care less if I had some super hero games to play.
@NEStalgia one long term concern I have with the licensing thing is legacy. Like, look at all the spider man games by Activision that cant be sold anymore because licenses ran out.
Eventually, we will look back at PS5 and find that almost half those games cant be bought anymore. It might be like the PS1, where it became famous for games and IPs that didn't really belong to them. Biggest PS1 era names that cross my mind every time are Final Fantasy, Tomb Rider and Crash Bandicoot.
I guess my point is, yes, it can actually hurt long term to put too many eggs in the licensed game basket.
@NEStalgia well the miles morales was dlc (to me anyway) and I meant it as branded new games and so far sony have only used the spiderman universe, with wolverine coming in 2023. The said they have currently 25 exclusive games in the works and as far as I know only two are marvel games plus the timed exclusives they have such as star wars, forspoken and final fantasy 16, but everyone over the last few days acting like all sony have is insomniac and Marvel
@Chaudy A Wonder Woman game would be pretty awesome!
@UltimateOtaku91 I agree on Miles being DLC but any time one argues that, one gets piled upon
But yeah, we have no idea what those other 22 exclusives games are, so we can only go by the limited roadmap we have, which is kind of my point originally. I'm sure they have better stuff around but all they've made public is that very marvel-heavy list.
Plus they talk about 25 exclusives, but without them naming them it's a safe bet that a chunk are timed exclusives, remaster/collections, and probably MLB counted in there for next year, etc. I'm certain there's some better games coming eventually in announcements, but right now, with what they've made public, it's a bleak Marvel-dominant landscape.
@JayJ Two words: China Market. Superheroes are safe, play off Chinese mythology stories, and are Beijing approved. Thus film and games will fall over themselves to maximize it to reach that investor-coveted Chinese market.
@Tharsman Yeah, that's always a concern, and it's a guarantee the licensed games will expire. While not all licensed, that's the same problem OG Xbox faced, most of it's famous games, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, KotOR, were all IPs they didn't own so it didn't benefit the long term platform.
Spiderman PS4 had great graphics but that's it. I finished the game for the story but I didn't find the open world or gameplay to be fun. The NPC's on that game is as lifeless as Cyberpunk. But I'm genuinely excited for Wolverine.
Just like a grade school playground......"I'll trade you The Elder Scrolls and Wolfenstein for Spiderman and Wolverine"
Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Thor, Batman, Superman... these are some of the biggest and most recognisable characters in the world. In terms of popularity, Master Chief simply can't touch Spider-Man, and if you produce a game as good as a Halo and attach a big superhero licence, it's almost guaranteed to fly off the shelves.
Let's not forget, Insomniac's Spider-Man went on to become PlayStation's bestselling exclusive in history, or certainly one of if I'm not mistaken. Now I'm sure most who've played it can agree it's a really great game, but there are plenty of others more deserving of that accolade, right? Except, none of them have such a prestigious licence attached. It drew big numbers before, and make no mistake people will buy a PlayStation to play the next Spider-Man, and Wolverine too.
Likewise, people will buy an Xbox (or at least a Game Pass subscription) to play a new Fantastic Four game, or a new Wonder Woman, assuming the quality is there. Microsoft have plenty of studios to take the lead, and they've got the money to strike a deal for any character they want. What could Ninja Theory do with Wonder Woman or Black Panther?
I'm not saying Microsoft should stop what they're already doing. In fact, considering how flooded the film and game markets are with superheroes at the moment, I quite like the fact they've got no superhero games in development (that we know of, anyway). But the fact remains superheroes are the hot ticket right now, and I think they'll continue to be for some time, so why not capitalise on their popularity and bolster the Xbox catalogue with one or two?
Remember when superhero games weren't exclusive?
Microsoft should make an Incredible Hulk game. The template is already there with Ultimate Destruction, just like how Insomniac were "influenced" by Spider-Man 2 (2004).
They should pursue third party or independent comics, though I guess they could make a play for DC and get Batman on lockdown but I'd rather see games that wouldn't get made without Xbox money and talent. Maybe Spawn or Hellboy.
Yes. Simple answer. Although short Miles Morales is an excellent game and is was Spider-Man. I can imagine that Wolverine will be as well.
@Chaudy Lol imagine a Superman game not completely sucking! Yeah, not worth the risk there for Superman. Wonder Woman though, could be something.
@Trmn8r yeah maybe not superman
@GunValkyrie oh or sure, on a gaming perspective 110%. On a capital expansion outlook for user install base, causal gamers but intense fans of Marvel, might be intrigued at a later time when price of entry is around $300 for game and console.
But you got my point. MS paid big money for those franchises to attract the players to their ecosystem.
For those saying no look at the sales for the two Spider-Man games, they were huge and MM is still selling well now. Spider-Man and Wolverine are bigger then whatever MS has lined up so MS should be trying their best to nap an exclusive game from Marvel or DC.
@Hellosmoothskin Spider-Man PS4 was selling PS4's by itself, like it or not Spider-Man and Wolverine are huge reasons to get a PS5 especially the casual folk who only play a small handful of games. End of the day the PS5 is selling far more then Series S/X and Sony dropping those two reveals is just going to add more sales.
Also its fun seeing the hypocrisy from Xbox fanboys because when it was rumoured MS were interested in buying WB Games you were all hyping the idea of Batman being 1st party.
I can see why some might like these but I am very over super hero anything. And an unpopular view, having played the Spider-Man games on ps4, they suck.
Man I hope they make a X-Men and Fantastic 4 games be super awesome to look forward to seeing
Wolverine is the first game to make me want a PS5.
I believe xbox should make these super hero games as xbox exclusive only not for Playstation a Deadpool open world game ghost rider night crawler a way better batmangame but in the sense of the batman from batman vs superman xbox should make a superman game and have batman and super clash wonderwoman is already being made I saw info on it the other day they should make a flash game open world as well to form a big sequel game for a open world justice league game Sony can keep the kids super heroes as it Is a kid friendly console as for xbox its got more adult games DC is a more gruesome world dark and realistic xbox should also make a open world aqua man game cyborg and a open world titans game not teen titans I'm talking more based off the hit TV series
@UltimateOtaku91 what star wars game is coming out
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