A bombshell has just dropped, as Square Enix just sold its entire Western division for only $300M. With one single sale, the Japanese developer has sold every Western company under their umbrella alongside the many IPs that they work on. Yet, it also opens up the question of what exactly this means for the future of the Marvel games that are being developed by some of their studios.
Initially, the deal made between Square Enix and Marvel would include four games. Two of those released in the form of Crystal Dynamics’ first venture into Games-as-a-Service with Marvel’s Avengers and the story-focused Guardians of the Galaxy by Eidos. During the press conference on the purchase, a statement was made on if the development of Marvel games would continue.
All games that have been developed by the studios are included in the deal. However, a number of external approvals are needed from external parties to close this transaction. And potentially, licenses as mentioned here could be one of those approvals needed.
Lars Wingefors
So, if Marvel or Disney decides not to renew the license, the games would potentially find their end. This news hits especially hard for Crystal Dynamics, which has been quite dedicated to making Marvel’s Avengers work as a service game. after its critical success, there was also a lot of hope that Guardians of the Galaxy would get a sequel. Yet, if they do not renew their deal with the new Embracer Group, it sadly could spell the end of these ventures once the deal is finalized.
Source: Embracer
