Marvel is undoubtedly beating out DC in the gaming department and that’s secured for the foreseeable future until DC can wrangle up a handful of announcements itself. In the meantime, Marvel has a bunch of games slated that don’t have actual reveals or release windows yet, while some of those don’t even have a title revealed, either. Still, knowing these games are in development is a balm of its own, especially if their early announcements help attract remarkable talent to their respective studios. Rather, the Marvel game that may be the biggest question mark of them all is Cliffhanger Games’ Black Panther game.

Cliffhanger Games is a new EA studio that was announced back in July 2023 alongside the announcement that it was developing a Black Panther game. Like EA Motive’s Iron Man game, Cliffhanger only had a promotional image to share of the game with the brief and vague mention that it would be a “single-player action-adventure” game. It’s exciting that Black Panther will finally be receiving a standalone game after the character’s MCU popularity and several recent features in ensemble Marvel games, but EA Cliffhanger being a brand-new studio doesn’t give fans much to go on for how it may turn out.

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EA Cliffhanger Being a New Studio Makes Black Panther Unpredictable

Marvel’s Blade, Iron Man’s Developers Give Them Reasonable Presumptions

Skydance’s untitled WW2 Marvel game, EA Motive’s Iron Man game, and Arkane’s Marvel’s Blade all have one thing in common: they all come from developers whose previous work will likely influence how their Marvel game will turn out, at least artistically. This is a bit harder to presume in Skydance’s case since it too is technically a new studio, but the game’s teaser did help to reflect what looks like a realistic period piece and knowing that it’s helmed by Amy Hennig is sure to suggest that it’ll have roots in cinematic action in the same vein as Uncharted.

EA’s Iron Man game could turn out any number of ways, and yet seeing how successfully Motive rendered the Dead Space remake with superb hyperrealism and stunning environmental detail could determine that as the same direction it’ll want to take Iron Man. Marvel’s Blade is ahead of the curve despite being the most recently announced Marvel game since it has already put out concept art that reflects its teaser, and its artistic distinction certainly files it in the same unique stylization as Arkane’s previous games.

How EA Cliffhanger’s Black Panther Turns Out is Anyone’s Guess

Cliffhanger Games is a complete unknown. Black Panther as Cliffhanger’s chosen Marvel icon is a blessing and a curse, too, since there are now several splendid iterations of the character in recent media and standing out uniquely will be a challenge, especially if it goes head-to-head with Skydance’s ensemble game featuring Black Panther and Wakanda.

Cliffhanger probably won’t have to worry about competing within the same 40s era as Skydance, but it’ll be an unenviable task to stay authentic to its own original story and iconography regardless. Having another hyperrealistic take would be unoriginal, for instance, though it’s currently unknown what Cliffhanger’s artistic style is. It would’ve been ridiculous to assume Arkane made the leap from cartoonish cel-shading to realism for Marvel’s Blade; that said, its leap to third-person is surely unprecedented.

Therefore, not knowing what Cliffhanger can bring to the table will give it a ton of intrigue until a reveal is made of some sort, whether that’s in concept art like Marvel’s Blade put out or a trailer closer to release. In the meantime, it’s both Cliffhanger’s biggest strength and biggest weakness to not have a catalog of games behind it and whatever its Black Panther game ends up taking shape as will be a reflection of the studio’s potential.

Marvel's Blade

Marvel's Blade is in development at Arkane Lyon, which developed Deathloop and Dishonored. It is a mature single-player third-person adventure game set in Paris, where players take on the role of the titular and beloved comic book hero.

Franchise

Marvel

Developer(s)

Arkane Studios

Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks