There's a lot riding on EA to make great Marvel games, and many gamers will be keeping a close eye on Cliffhanger Games' Black Panther. Since the hero debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) during Captain America: Civil War, and received a standalone film two years later, there's been a high demand for Black Panther to be featured in his own video game title. He was previously featured in Marvel's Avengers as a playable character, and will also be part of Skydance's upcoming narrative game.
EA's Black Panther is said to be a single-player third-person game set in Wakanda that was hinted to be story-driven, and would give players "more agency and control over their narrative." There were also rumors in the past that the Black Panther game would be open-world, and focus on the player's journey—possibly as T'Challa—on becoming the new Black Panther. There are a lot of possibilities for Cliffhanger Games' upcoming title, and one of them could tie in other Black Panthers, such as T'Challa's younger sister Shuri.
How EA Could Highlight Shuri As The Black Panther
Shuri is the Princess of Wakanda and the heiress to the Wakandan throne. Canonically, she would take up the mantle of Black Panther to protect Wakanda while her older brother T'Challa was dying in 2009's Black Panther issue. This was also reflected in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where Letitia Wright as Shuri would don the Black Panther suit for the first time, following the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman.
As the Black Panther, Shuri inherited superhuman abilities from Bast, the Panther God. In the comics, her suit looked slightly similar to T'Challa's all-black costume, only that it's more skintight and had Adamantium-tipped Vibranium Claws. In Wakanda Forever, Shuri's suit and helmet had gold and silver accents, and maintained the nanotechnology from T'Challa's suit. It also had energy absorption and redistribution abilities.
In the past, Shuri had been a playable character in Marvel video game titles, such as Lego Marvel's Avengers, Marvel: Future Fight, and Marvel Snap. So, it would only make sense for the Wakandan Princess to get her moment in the spotlight in EA's Black Panther, especially as a second playable character alongside T'Challa. The game could either have special levels or a dedicated story mode where people play her as the Black Panther. She could don a suit similar to the original one featured in the comics, or the new version in Wakanda Forever. Since she's also known for creating her own weapons, her character could also have a special arsenal and other unique, tech-focused abilities to use in enemy fights.
If Black Panther won't be able to feature Shuri as the titular character, it's still possible to make her a playable side character to showcase her martial arts skills while wielding her various weapons, and even integrate energy absorption and redistribution. The gameplay could be similar to Spider-Man 2, where players could switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales; or Arkham City, where specific levels required players to control either Batman or Catwoman. Shuri's Black Panther suits could just be included as unlockable skin options, assuming that T'Challa would also have suit options as well.
The Marvel universe of Black Panther is filled with compelling characters and vibrant settings that Cliffhanger Games could maximize. On his own, T'Challa already brings a lot to the table as the most recognizable Black Panther. But Shuri also deserves her flowers as the new holder of the Black Panther title, at least in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If Black Panther succeeds, this would open up more opportunities for EA and Cliffhanger Games to expand the game's story and universe further, perhaps even releasing a standalone game featuring Shuri as the titular heroine.
Cliffhanger Games' Black Panther is currently in development.