Highlights
- Both DC and Marvel have attempted co-op superhero games with varying success, but Marvel should look to its past success with Marvel Heroes for inspiration.
- Marvel Heroes was a free-to-play MMO that featured a large cast of Marvel characters, satisfying gameplay, and group content, making it enjoyable for both solo and multiplayer play.
- Despite its closure, Marvel Heroes was well-received by fans and critics and left a void that Marvel has yet to fill, making it a potential source of inspiration for future superhero MMOs.
It seems like every studio these days wants to get in on the co-op craze, and superheroes are not safe from that. DC tried to captivate audiences with the likes of Gotham Knights and the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League while Marvel attempted the concept with Marvel's Avengers and may be trying again with Skydance New Media's next title. Neither studio has had great luck with the genre yet, but maybe that will change in the future.
If Marvel wants to beat DC to a captivating co-op then it should be looking to its past for inspiration. The studio already had a great MMO on the market back in 2013 with Marvel Heroes. The game featured one of the largest casts of Marvel characters, had a satisfying gameplay loop, and seemed to be a treat for fans of the IP. Even though it was popular, it ended up closing its doors in 2017, but there has never been a better time to bring it back.
Marvel Heroes Could Inspire the Future
Marvel Heroes was a free-to-play MMO that blended ARPG mechanics with the Marvel universe. It was developed by Gazillion Entertainment and would end up launching on PC in 2013. Players would take control of characters like Iron Man, Captain America, and Deadpool in a story that saw Doctor Doom obtain the powerful Cosmic Cube. What ensued was a massive adventure filled with some of the most iconic Marvel heroes and locales ripped straight from the pages of a comic book.
The gameplay of Marvel Heroes was pretty standard for an ARPG. Each hero had three different skill trees that players could spend points in, and these abilities would make the heroes stronger. Each hero played differently, featured different upgrades, and offered dozens of cosmetics for players to earn. Players would take control of a hero, fight their way through various instances, and obtain all sorts of loot as they saved the world.
Marvel Heroes could be a lot of fun when playing alone, but it was made even better when playing with others. In classic MMO fashion, players could group up and explore the Marvel universe together. The game featured tons of group content including 10-player raids that saw them take on powerful villains from across Marvel Comics. There was so much to do, and the best part was that almost everything could be earned simply by playing the game.
Marvel Heroes would launch to mixed reviews, but the studio was able to turn it around with the massive Marvel Heroes 2015 relaunch. It would go on to garner strong critical reviews and even be heralded as the most improved MMO on the market. It would then be expanded even further with the Marvel Heroes 2016 and Marvel Heroes Omega relaunches. At the end of its tenure, the game featured 63 playable characters, hundreds of costumes inspired by Marvel Comics and the MCU, and so much MMO goodness to mess around with.
While the game was a great treat for Marvel fans, Disney and Gazillion Entertainment would end up ending their relationship. The game would get shut down at the end of 2017 and Gazillion would close its doors after Disney pulled the Marvel license. What was once one of the largest and most interesting Marvel games faded into relative obscurity as its final days came to a close.
Since the closure of Marvel Heroes, Marvel has not really had a game like it. It has tried, but nothing has been able to captivate audiences the way Marvel Heroes could. With the recent failure of Marvel's Avengers, maybe it is time for the studio to look at this ARPG for inspiration. While the game may never be able to return, perhaps it can influence a future superhero MMO that actually has some staying power.