Superheroes have ascended to pop culture royalty since the emergence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and while the Avengers have surged in popularity, they're not the only source of super exploits and heroic deeds. In many ways DC Comics puts Marvel to shame with its litany of immense characters, wonderful locations, and epic storylines. Away from the pages of comics it has made decent headway into the film space since the 1940s from which plenty of characters originate, but the dismissal of Zack Snyder's aptly-named Snyderverse was a significant bump in the road, and Henry Cavill's departure as Superman was disappointing news for those who had come to enjoy his portrayal of the Man of Steel.
The news has fans clamoring to understand who is returning and who isn't, but while the future of DC in film is unclear, in gaming its presence is strong. Between Gotham Knights, Batman: Arkham, Injustice, and the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the company is doing well with new releases, and has had a firm grip on the medium for a while. The Snyderverse has too much potential to abandon entirely, and as DC is known to gamers everywhere, and Henry Cavill has expressed an interest in IP that have a video game presence like The Witcher and Warhammer, a switch to the virtual space for Zack Snyder's universe shouldn't be off the table.
DC is Making Waves in Gaming
Though Marvel is doing well to bring quality games like Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel's Midnight Suns, and Insomniac's Spider-Man to consoles, with The Wolverine on the way, DC established itself in the AAA space first with the immense Batman: Arkham series, a line of games that capture all the best angles of The Dark Knight. His plentiful encounters with memorable villains are true to the pages of the comics. Other members of the Justice League haven't been as lucky in gaming, but Injustice is perhaps the closest thing to a truly great title that encompasses an ensemble of DC characters. DC Universe Online and LEGO DC Super Heroes cement the narrative and presentational prowess of DC Comics in gaming, and a continuation of the Snyderverse could build upon what they started.
Currently, there is no widespread in-game universe that DC has established, meaning plenty of players are left scratching their heads as to where (or if) the game they are playing connects to any other. If all titles took place in their own respective timeline, it would be easier to digest, but the MCU has showed the narrative potential of establishing one universe for characters to share. Zack Snyder's films and those that coincide with them are a suitable starting point that people generally enjoy enough to want more. James Gunn's new plans don't look like they include much that Snyder put forward, and there's enough in the former director's works to justify adding more to it in gaming.
The Snyderverse Still Has More to Offer
The Snyderverse, despite its drawbacks, has a handful of iconic characters played by brilliant actors, and the films in which they appear are usually enjoyable throughout. In particular Zack Snyder's Justice League is a glorious reshuffling of a film that critically needed it, and by the end each character feels far more fleshed out then they were with the theatrical release. The Flash is on the way, but shifting gears to gaming could be a significant enough change to not confuse movie goers while preserving a universe that audiences were just beginning to love.
The new direction that James Gunn has in mind for DC is very exciting, and could give some characters and personalities the reinvention or screen time they have needed for decades. It's a shame that Zack Snyder's films are being pushed to the wayside, but video games have come on leaps and bounds in a few short years, and there's much that the medium can do to maintain the momentum that the films have started. It's clear that fans don't want to say goodbye to these heroes, and picking up an Xbox or PlayStation controller rather than buying a movie ticket should be the way that people can stay connected to Snyder's DC cinematic universe.