'Marvel's Avengers' Was 'Disappointing' For Square Enix

RJ Pierce, Tech Times 04 November 2021, 10:11 pm

"Marvel's Avengers" didn't exactly pan out the way Square Enix hoped.

(Photo : YouTube-Square Enix )
Screen capture taken from Marvel's Avengers trailer on Square Enix channel

The game has proven to be a disappointment for the publisher, as revealed in a recent annual report, writes GameRant. But they weren't really indicating that the game's live service/games-as-a-service (GaaS) model was to blame.

Instead, they seemingly called out "Marvel's Avengers" developer Crystal Dynamics--though not directly by name.

Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda stated during the annual report that the company must move on by selecting game designs that must "mesh" with their development teams' and studios' unique tastes.

In other words, Crystal Dynamics' pool of development talent was "underutilized" when making the game.

A lot of critics remarked that "Marvel's Avengers" didn't exactly fit the games-as-a-service model, and perhaps they were right judging by just how much money Square Enix lost.

According to PCGamer, the company missed out on as much as $48 million following the game's initial release back in September 2020.

Many people point out that while the game's story is not that bad (including add-ons such as the Hawkeye and Black Panther DLC), live service elements such as paid temporary XP boosts didn't do much for its reputation.

As a result, "Marvel's Avengers" has received largely mixed reviews. CBR writes that both critics and fans generally liked the game as it is, but felt like the games-as-a-service approach was counterintuitive to its core design.

But despite this, Square Enix still seems to stand by the GaaS model moving forward.

They're still continuing to support the game with the Spider-Man add-on, which is scheduled to release on November 30, as per the original GameRant report.

What's Next For Square Enix?

While "Marvel's Avengers" didn't pan out the way Square Enix liked, it seems as if their current game "Guardians of the Galaxy" is doing way better than its predecessor.

This could be due to the "Guardians" game not being built on the GaaS model as "Avengers" was. Current reviews of the game are mostly positive, with big-name publications giving it high scores. IGN recently reviewed it and gave it an 8 out of 10 score:

Games-As-A-Service At A Glance

"Marvel's Avengers" was classified under the games-as-a-service umbrella, but what does it exactly mean?

GaaS involves studios and publishers releasing a game, then continuously monetizing it for an extended period after its initial release, writes Gridly. These monetization options could include paid DLC, in-game currency sales, or temporary XP boosts that help players progress through the game faster.

Numerous AAA studios are increasingly adopting the model, but it seems to only work for specific types of games. Perhaps that's where Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics failed.

"Marvel's Avengers" at its core was a story-driven game. And in this type of game, there's only so much that you can add before you run out of ideas. This is why other titles built on GaaS such as "Fortnite," which are multiplayer-focused and not story-heavy, have proven to be more successful.

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Written by RJ Pierce