Highlights
- Marvel's video games have predominantly focused on fairly upbeat characters and avoided overly dark stories, meaning a Punisher game would be a breath of fresh air.
- A modern Punisher game with a strong narrative and intense combat could be a recipe for success, learning from the 2005 title's strengths and weaknesses.
- The Punisher's potential popularity boost from his MCU debut could make a new game even more appealing to fans, ensuring a recipe for success.
The Marvel universe absolutely has its share of dark moments, though in general, its heroes are on the lighter side. Iconic figures like Spider-Man and Iron Man constantly crack jokes, Thor is a literal god, and Captain America is used to champion a number of good traits. Despite the wacky and emotional storylines the groups often go through, the X-Men and Fantastic Four’s family vibes mean fans will be seeing a lighthearted dynamic a lot of the time when reading their stories. Still, there are characters like Ghost Rider, Daredevil, and Moon Knight that often find themselves in darker tales, and none compare to The Punisher in terms of grittiness.
Though there is plenty of room for both upbeat and serious characters to be focused on, the Marvel video games released over the last several years have been quick to lean into the former category. Insomniac Games’ excellent Marvel’s Spider-Man series, Eidos Montreal’s underrated Guardians of the Galaxy, Crystal Dynamics’ ill-fated Marvel’s Avengers, and the T-rated Marvel’s Midnight Suns did not feel aimed at an older audience. It is unlikely for EA’s Black Panther and Iron Man to do so, either, meaning that a project focused on The Punisher would be a breath of fresh air. With one mature title on the way via Marvel’s Wolverine, perhaps an adult-focused Punisher game that treats the character with care could actually happen.
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A Modern Punisher Game Has The Perfect Recipe For Success
A New Punisher Game Could Take Notes From The 2005 Version
The Punisher has received a few video games in the past, with an NES release in the 1990s, a fairly well-received 2005 game, and a disappointing 2009 release called Punisher: No Mercy. However, these games came before the golden era of video game storytelling sparked by titles like The Last of Us, and a modern Punisher project could provide a much stronger narrative that gives the game a purpose beyond random violence. Like the 2005 release, Garth Ennis could once again be hired to write a Punisher game, taking inspiration from his work on Punisher MAX instead of the more over-the-top Marvel Knights story this time around. While characters like Soap and Ma Gnucci were entertaining, most comic fans agree that Ennis’ MAX run is the best the character has ever been, so pulling from it for a new game would be ideal.
Additionally, the repetitive gameplay of the The Punisher 2005 could be used as a lesson of what not to do. While many praised how Thomas Jane’s version of the character was handled in the game, as well as how far it went with its violence, most critics mentioned how it stopped throwing new mechanics at players rather quickly. This could be solved with an open-world that is full of activities for the Punisher to complete, like torturing informants, clearing out gang strongholds, hunting down black market weapon convoys, and so on. With games like Marvel’s Spider-Man showing New York City in a positive light despite all the random crimes that appear, a Punisher game could provide a much darker view of the city by highlighting its street-level crime.
Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann has mentioned in the past that he would love to work with the Punisher character, and though it is unlikely for the studio to tackle a licensed game, whatever developer takes on the project could channel Naughty Dog’s style. A serious story with emotional character moments alongside intense combat like The Last of Us would be ideal.
The Punisher’s Looming MCU Debut Could Create The Perfect Storm
While Daredevil: Born Again is currently being reworked, it is set to feature the return of Jon Bernthal’s beloved Punisher, who was originally seen in Marvel’s Netflix content. With Bernthal’s brilliant portrayal of Frank Castle likely to reach a new audience, the character could become even more popular than he already is, and MCU fans could grow desperate for a new game where they get to spend more time with the anti-hero. If a Punisher game were to start development now, it could release a year or two after Daredevil: Born Again debuts on Disney+, with the project now rumored to be coming in 2025 following its delay. As such, not only would a Punisher game that leans into third person shooting and brutal melee combat stand out from Marvel’s other upcoming games, but it could release at the peak of the vigilante’s popularity.
Marvel
Marvel is a brand associated with a wide array of popular superhero comics, movies, television shows, and merchandise. The company owns the rights to popular characters like The Avengers, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Deadpool, and many more.
