Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Avengers

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Assembles as Best-Selling Game in September

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Assembles as Best-Selling Game in September

    There has been a lot of focus on Marvel’s Avengers steam performance. As people have faced bugs and the post-games repetition, it has fallen below 1,000 at times. Still, this is just one of the three releases. Furthermore, these numbers hopefully increase as the game starts rolling out new content. We already saw a slight uptick with the recent Tachyon Missions that will keep people busy for a bit. It will be a challenge to build up its audience, but there is a sign that it will grow once more content added, as going by NPD, the game was the best-selling game of September.

    Crystal Dynamics’ first foray into GaaS was a bumpy one, but it seems the game still paid off. It is now the second-best-selling Marvel game after PlayStation’s Spider-Man. The character’s popularity was probably also a factor in the exclusivity deal for him to appear in this game. Also, keep in mind that the game went up against Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which was Nintendo’s second-best Switch launch. The list included a lot of newcomers with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, NBA 2K21, Star Wars: Squadrons, and Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.

    Marvel is a popular franchise, but it still kept up its sales in September even as it faced media controversies. Its sales will calm down in the coming months, but the reception has been more positive online since the last update was released. It will still be an uphill battle for CD to regain its player base, but character updates will get them the attention they need. These sales numbers at least showcase that there is interest once the game starts getting into gear. In a recent podcast, we got a tease of that the Black Panther-focused Raid will offer. Its size could work as a new way to soft launch the game in 2021. You can read a recap of it right here. I am optimistic about the future of this game and cannot wait to see how it grows over time.

    Source: GameRant (Sales), VG247, GameRant (Mario)

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ State of the Game Confirms Slight Kate Bishop Delay

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ State of the Game Confirms Slight Kate Bishop Delay

    Marvel’s Avengers has been a crazy but enjoyable journey. I went into this game knowing full well what it means to start a Games-as-a-Service at launch. They get plagued with bugs at launch due to its online nature. The game is structurally sound, but it has some issues it needs to fight through. Sadly, it lost players fast in the beginning and became an easy target for repeating talking points online.

    Still, Crystal Dynamics has been hard at work trying to fix the bugs and show the players that they care. They initially patched as much as possible early on. We just recently got our first content patch, which was slightly underwhelming but still offered something new to do. This week, we finally got a blog discussing the journey to this point. In it, they did what many avoid, they confessed that the bugs deterred players. It is a big move to confess to something like this. Yet, they aren’t stopping there but are also giving away free resources to thank players for their patience.

    • Credits: 1500
    • Units: 7000
    • Upgrade Modules: 250
    • DNA Keys: 20
    • A Sarah Garza-Inspired Nameplate (Because seriously, you’re the best.)

    Those credits can get anyone a Legendary Skin and a nameplate. They are giving away $15 in value for the credits alone. Plus, the in-joke of the game of Garza repeating her line is just a nice touch. It will be available as of October 22nd. The blog entry also includes some details about new community-driven features that are coming our way, such as a campaign replay option of the game’s story, a unique ping system for multiplayer and more clarity about mission rewards. We have seen a lot of Quality-of-Life improvements in their last update, so these will add a whole new level to the game.

    They also dedicated an entire section to the issues that have been plaguing the game since launch. They also discuss the performance and stability issues, and their dependency on NVIDIA for the PC port. Crystal Dynamics is also looking into ways to optimize matchmaking by rethinking its structure and updating the rewards system. They also highlighted that work is underway to offer a multiplayer alternative to the Mega Hive. This game made was a big discussion point among players, as it is a single-player only mission.

    It would be one thing to just focus on the fixes, but they also teased some new content coming soon. They will be introducing a new mission type called Omega-Level Threats. These are multiplayer-focused challenges for high-level players with unique rewards. In the blog, they also tease an Avengers-worthy fight at the end, which could hopefully include new villains. They also point out this is just the first step. Crystal Dynamics also finally confirmed that the first Omega threat is going to be the A.I.M. Cloning Lab, which will be a weekend-only event. Sadly, they do not include an exact release date but could be in the coming weeks.

    They also confirmed that Kate Bishop is not going to release in October. They state it is a slight delay, so that means it could be at the beginning of the month. I am okay with a later release, as it is for free, and that could mean they are adding more content to it. Their recent patch had many underwhelmed, so they might want to focus on making it deliver on what everyone is expecting. We will know more in November, as they have also confirmed we will finally get a tour next War Table video by then, which most likely will include the long-promised road map. They confirmed Clint will be included and what we can expect from 2021. I do fear that this means Black Panther won’t release this year, as originally predicted.

    I believe this was a necessary and important move by the developer. It is very detailed and honest about the faulty launch. I did not expect a free bundle for early players, but it is a nice gesture. Hopefully, this is the beginning of continuous content drops for the game. I am having a blast with the game and I want to see where they are heading. Kate Bishop’s addition will be our first indicator of what we can expect from the game moving forward, so I am looking forward to that. Yes, the delay isn’t great but it means they are focusing on getting the game where it needs to be. Let’s see where this journey brings us in the near future.

    Source: Play Avengers

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First Content Update is Here

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First Content Update is Here

    The biggest issue, besides the bugs, was the lack of content. There were doubts if we would see any additional content in the future, as updates constantly got delayed. Well, looks like the wait is finally over. Crystal Dynamics just released their first content patch. The patch V1.3.3 not only fixes a lot of major issues but also will include two brand new additions for the game’s overarching story that will be active as of 15th October, so keep that in mind with the current update.

    That is not all, as it also finally gives us some much needed Quality-of-Life improvements, such as Mega Hives rewarding two guaranteed Exotic gear items when completed. They even added ways to access Faction rewards through terminals, so you don’t have to switch between Outposts constantly. Still, you aren’t here for that, you want to know what new content was added.

    • SHIELD Substation Zero Outpost will give you access to a brand new location that will include some new NPCs, story content and potentially some new missions. It will be located in the Pacific Northwest when accessing it through the War Table.
    • Temporal anomalies have been popping up in the world which will give oyu access to new Tachyon Rift missions. Over time, your team will get damaged but you get access to your Heroic abilities much faster. These missions rotate daily and first-place players get a Cosmic gear as a reward. As the name implies, time will be an important factor.

    It is interesting to note that the Substation article only mentions “content” in addition to a narrative and characters. We don’t know what that could mean exactly, as the story will tie into the new mission type. Hopefully, this means we will also get some additional missions. In the last War Table, they revealed that the Ouptost will act as its own operation. Also, some eagle-eyed players have noticed that the marketplace also has an open slot ready for a young archer that was going to be released later this month.

    https://twitter.com/PlayAvenger/status/1316423100003758080

    It has been a long wait for this and these are some fantastic additions. Hopefully, this is a sign of what we can expect from Crystal Dynamics in the near future. Keep in mind, we will still get a State of the Game this week, so this is just the beginning. It still was a great move by the developer to showcase how much they listened to feedback. They not only fixed bugs, added content but also provided QOL improvements everyone has been asking for. So, let us see if they can keep this momentum going but I am very happy to finally get my hands on the new content update.

    Source: Play Avengers, Twitter

  • Black Panther May Have Been ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First DLC Character

    Black Panther May Have Been ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First DLC Character

    Marvel’s Avengers players are starving for content. So far, we only got the Mega Hive as post-launch addition with more on the way. Just recently, the community manager took to Reddit to share that they are taking current concerns seriously. It was a necessary touch to give players some reassurance. They did confirm we would receive a confirmation for the timings by next week. To build up to that moment, I’ve been rewatching old War Table videos. My goal was to get a feeling for what the plans may have been for the game. As such, I just felt like playing around with a theory as we wait for the official reveal of future content by the developer Crystal Dynamics.

    The game’s release kicked off with quite a few bugs, so a delay is part of the course in the Games-as-a-Service model. Yet, we wouldn’t get our first real addition until the end of October with Kate Bishop. The reveal trailer at the time included a brief tribute to Chadwick Boseman with the info that Black Panther would not be included as originally planned. I started wondering when they planned to reveal him, as we haven’t heard anything about the character in over a month. I was rewatching the War Table that gave us our first DLC reveal, and something caught my eye while going through the initial reveal for Hawkeye. His symbol was the second among the four.

    Every Avenger has a unique symbol in the game, which is used in the character select menu. It seemed like initially, they were planning to reveal four characters at one point. Optimistically speaking, maybe they planned on four DLC characters for 2020. There is no confirmation for that, but it could’ve been a monthly release once the game was made available. Still, what we are focusing on is the placement of Hawkeye’s symbol.

    This visual would confirm he was always going to be the second addition. A month later, we learned Kate Bishop would be our first official post-launch character. As mentioned previously, Black Panther seemed to have a larger role in that War Table’s reveal until he was delayed. Both Bishop and Hawkeye’s operations are confirmed as a double feature so he may have been the third DLC character. Yet, something doesn’t quite add up once you take a closer look at later showcases of the video. If you rewatch the brief tease of Bishop’s operation, you’ll notice a similarity between hers and Clint Barton’s. The unique symbol is identical to the one we saw during Hawkeye’s reveal.

    The initial reveal video showed something more akin to the Fraction comic’s bullseye logo. Even early leaks seemed to reveal a unique logo for potential echo characters like War Machine. So, it would’ve made sense for her bullseye visual to be Kate Bishop’s unique design. Even if the Hawkeye stories are a double-feature, why give characters one-of-a-kind visuals if they aren’t the operations? In reality, we never actually saw her symbol transition into an in-game design. It was just a visual flair during the video to call back to the comics. It also opens up the question of how character selection would include both characters. Crystal Dynamics might be giving you the option to chose Hawkeye with an additional choice between the variations. If this is the case, why is Hawkeye’s symbol the second one if both characters share it in-game?

    It seemed that Black Panther was going to be an aspect of the first character reveal. At one point, he may have been the first DLC in the game. It may also explain why Kate’s DLC release is delayed until the end of October. There is also the addition of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Substation Zero operation will lead to Kate’s storyline. It will introduce us to the Tachyon Rifts that will play an important role in the Avengers Initiative campaign. So, if Black Panther was going to be the first released, his story may have built up towards these rifts. The delay also could mean that some parts of the story had to be rewritten or adapted, which added to the current content delays.

    Keep in mind, this is nothing more than a theory but it is an interesting one with the information that was originally given by the developers. In some way, maybe the lack of a release date for Kate Bishop may also be caused by the upcoming Disney+ show. Marvel Studios confirmed her inclusion in Hawkeye, so they were forced to wait for the official reveal of the actress to build upon that hype. The synergy between Marvel’s ventures is great for the shows but may have also added to the issues that plagued the game’s release. No matter what may have been the reason, it is interesting how these things come together.

    Source: Reddit, YouTube

  • Crystal Dynamics Teases an ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Update for Next Week

    Crystal Dynamics Teases an ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Update for Next Week

    So, the wait for any content has been truly harsh. I am enjoying the game quite a bit but have been taken more frequent breaks. I even broke down the reasoning and importance of this with these types of games in a journal entry you can check out by clicking here. We were anxiously waiting for an update this week but didn’t even get our weekly War Table blog entry. It is understandable that many are frustrated with the lack of content that was promised post-launch. Thankfully, Kotaku got an official statement by Crystal Dynamics studio head Scot Amos. It’s a refreshing article to read. Instead of just posting it directly, I would like to tackle some aspects that stand out. Let’s start off with the promise of brand new mission types and the first Raid event.

    As such, we have a number of new content pieces coming in the weeks ahead including: a totally new War Zone mission type called Tachyon Rifts, a new Outpost that’s a jumping off point for new story missions in the future, and AIM’s Cloning Lab, which requires a coordinated high-level group of four players to beat with new top-end loot rewards for finishing it. And in each of these updates we do tuning and bug fixing to enhance the overall experience.

    The AIM Cloning Lab, or Secret Lab, has been teased since before the launch. They have postponed its launch most likely to focus on fixing the matchmaking issues that plague the PC port. Forbes’ Paul Tassi shared an interesting article on the topic with the active low-numbers on Steam not helping the matter. I do believe once they start offering a consistent flow of content players will gradually return. They just sadly dragged it out for too long. The Tachyon Rifts do sound like a promising addition with a story building towards the larger content drop with the first character additions.

    In addition, we’ve announced two new Heroes coming in the near future: Kate Bishop in Operation: Taking AIM, and after that the double-feature Operation starring Clint Barton… this is the “two Hawkeyes” we mentioned in the last War Table. These new Operations pick up right from where the main Reassemble campaign ended in the core game and will propel the overall world story forward with new mysteries and villains, as well as new multi-player content.

    They are teasing some interesting additions plus new villains. Right now, the selection is rather scarce with two Warbots, Abomination and Taskmaster. This gets pretty redundant after a few weeks, as the core gameplay of these fights doesn’t really change much – only the environment does. They do add that more content will be added throughout the next few months, so hopefully, next week’s blog will offer more details. We’ve been waiting for a roadmap that was promised since the last War Table video, so they promise a bigger update next week

    Our biggest issue sadly has been the decrease in communication. At first, they were actively sharing information and pointing aspects out but that seems to have calmed down quite a bit in recent weeks. It looks like they may have been strategizing something, as they promise new community communication initiatives moving forward.

    We’ll have more information and details about the very near content drops in a blog scheduled for next week and we have new community communication initiatives coming soon to even more directly share fun and useful information with you.

    So, this is something I think many of us were hoping to hear. It could mean that Crystal Dynamics is trying to find better ways to communicate with its audience. I will say though it is odd that they didn’t share this on Twitter or in their Discord. It seems like a PR move, which is great to see. They are trying to get general info out there about them working hard on the game. Something, we haven’t really seen from others. Of course, they did miss out on using this chance to share it with their community directly which is a missed opportunity. Still, this is a big step forward for Crystal Dynamics and Marvel’s Avengers. They even acknowledge that they are losing their player base. No matter where one stands, this is a big step. I believe that if they keep their word and release the info on upcoming updates next week, we could see an upswing. The important thing is, they can’t drag this out forever and need to start pumping out consistent updates to keep players. Still, I always like to be positive and I cannot wait to share whatever info we get next week with you!

    Source: Kotaku, Forbes

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Leak Teases Doctor Strange Storyline & ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Jemma Simmons

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Leak Teases Doctor Strange Storyline & ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Jemma Simmons

    Marvel Avengers‘ leaks have become my favorite past-time at this rate. We are still anxiously awaiting the reveal of the game’s roadmap. It was teased all the way back during the early September release but so far nothing. It makes sense, Crystal Dynamics is focusing on fixing the bugs that have become the norm with Games-as-a-Service releases. Still, a lot of leaks have been pointing to some great additions coming in the near future including War Machine, Black Panther, and many more. Ever since the leaks have calmed won with even some fake 3D models being shared online teasing an Infinity Gauntlet. Sadly, that turned out to be from Fortnite’s model, so it seemed like the leaks have stopped.  At least that was until now, as @mmmmmmmmiller has once again shared something that was leaked. This time around, it is an audio file that is from a very hyper NPC. At face value, there is no dead giveaway who this character could be but Miller luckily has a very unsubtle hint based on his own data mining.

    So, yeah, the audio file would be strongly hinting at the addition of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. character Jemma Simmons. He also points out that the voice lines are from a stand-in actress as they might not have cast yet. This isn’t the first time Simmons was featured in a Marvel’s game, as she also had a starring role in Marvel’s Future Fight. The audio file does not confirm that it is Simmons, but sentences like “absolutely smashing” could be a hint at the future voice cast being British. That or it is a female version of Nigel Thornberry. Still, it is an audio file for the Avengers game as she also mentions the Anthill. It also confirms that they’ve planned out most of the future content in advance, which probably is one of the reasons the current build is still barebones. They have to prepare a lot of assets in advance to keep a consistent flow of content post-launch, and I theorize that recent events may have shifted a lot as well.

    Still, let’s focus on what this audio file may tease. We might not see her in the upcoming Substation Base update, as her storyline seems to connect to ghosts of some kind. Yes, this audio file confirms that we will see some supernatural activities. This reveal also matches the leak that Doctor Strange will be in the game as a playable character at one point. There is also the mention of Tanaka. Now, that is an interesting name, as there are multiple Tanaka’s in comic history. There is the martial arts teacher of X-23, which would tease the future addition of the X-Men. Yet, there is also Leiko Tanaka, who some might recognize as Big Hero 6‘s GoGo Tomago. Either way, this reveal could be a massive addition to the game in future updates. Each new leak certainly gets me pumped for the future of this game.

    Source: Twitter, Vocaroo

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Journal: Importance of Taking Breaks

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Journal: Importance of Taking Breaks

    You read that title correctly. I have taken a break from playing Marvel’s Avengers until the next major update. No, I have not found any exotic gear. I didn’t max out any character cards. So far, I’ve only really gotten Thor and Hulk past the 110 Power Level. In reality, I have a lot more grinding to do so that I could proclaim I’ve maxed out all my characters. I am also not a person to chase down PlayStation’s platinum trophies. The story was great, and I enjoy playing as the different Avengers. Not everyone will share my outlook on the game. That is why I started this series, and I am taking a bit of a break. Crystal Dynamics promised future updates, so I don’t feel the urge to burn myself out early. From what I’ve seen online, I would recommend it to anyone reading this right now

    A Current Limitation

    The Avengers Initiative is currently barebones. I have repeated this statement multiple times throughout these entries. After releasing their latest patch 1.3.1 the general mood seemed to be in an upswing. All players wanted now was more content, but that didn’t happen this week. Right now, theories are that we will get something by the end of next week. This would include the S.H.I.E.L.D. Substation Zero and the A.I.M. Secret Lab. These are great additions that hopefully are also accompanied by new mission chains and environments. I’ve finished the last mission chain titled “Reigning Supreme”. It will build-up towards the new cloning technology that Monica Rambeau has been cooking up. My motivation was to finish up this mission chain as it contained small story hints, teases of future content, and even unique animations. It wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but it felt like the story was moving forward. I finished it around 50 to 60 hours in as I took my time to grind a bit to adjust to specific mission caps.

    Afterward, most people hit the “now what” phase of the game. From what I’ve seen and discussed, a lot of players continue to focus on the additional checklists. There is a lot to do, but you are going to repeat existing missions to do so. The only new content added was the single-player focused Mega Hive. It’s the same as the sixteen-floor Epic Hive that was the final mission of the last mission chain. It is a single-player experience that rubbed people the wrong way, as it was new content that recycled existing concepts. Personally, it is a fine addition, but it felt like a quick way to add more content as they focus on fixing bugs. As long as matchmaking has issues, there is no point in adding a Raid mission. Technically, it was a safe move by Crystal Dynamics. Still, people wanted those Exotics that rarely drop, and kept playing it even if they were vocally frustrated. We want to play the game with friends to make the repetition easier. There are multiplayer options, but it just drops Exotics at a much lower rate. Right now, getting the best gear won’t serve any specific purpose outside of a stat increase. There is no point focusing on getting something that will only end up frustrating you. If there is a mission that would require these stats, then it might be worth the time.

    A Personal View

    As much as I enjoy the combat, attempting it multiple times with Mega Hive’s 40 floors and crash issues, no wonder someone will get mad. Plus, if you manage to finish it and don’t get the reward you want, you will be frustrated. My approach to the Mega Hive is to try it out now and then. I generally only play one or two missions every other day if I feel like it. Sometimes I try to get in some mission cards. I’ve gotten to the point with now 40 more hours in that it’s a bit repetitive now. Also, I have other games and projects I need to spend time on. Currently, I feel no drive to play the game for long sessions, and I don’t see any issue with that. It’s been only a month, and the game will only grow from here. I don’t lose anything by taking my time. Crystal Dynamics has been working hard on the game to get it where it needs to be. Should it have released like this? No, absolutely shouldn’t have, but we can’t change it now as it is already released. I respect the work they put in with consistent updates. I do hope we get more transparency in the future. It all depends on the reveal of the roadmap, which will give us a better feeling of what the future entails.

    Right now, my future investment depends on what content they plan to add. The selling point of this game is the potential of what it may offer in the future. I enjoyed my time with the game and spent countless hours playing it. This is only the third game I put in more than 100 hours into the game. So, how could I proclaim the game wasn’t worth my investment? Plus, future additions are for free, so that covers a lot of additional hours. I’ve seen some state that this game is predatory with its time-based missions to force people into paying for it. In the end, it is all just optional. The game wants you to play for a long-time rather than rush through it. So, why rush through the experience? At some point, you will hit the limitation of content with any game. There is no point forcing yourself to play through everything now if it only ends up frustrating you. Of course, it is easier said than done. I am just sharing my own approach to the game.

    A Look to the Future

    This is a bit of a different journal entry. I am not focusing on the game’s content, as I covered most of what was available. Even I felt like I played through it faster than I initially expected. People are proclaiming the game’s death as they focus on Steam numbers and Twitch streams. There is no point in doing so. We don’t know how many people are actively playing it on other consoles. Who knows how many are just sitting it out until new content drops. In the end, the developers need to know if enough players are around to make it worth investing in it. All of us want the same thing, to have a good time playing Avengers and see it succeed so we can see it expand throughout the coming years. This sentiment is shared by the man responsible for saving Final Fantasy XIV Online. I look forward to what the future holds and to continue to share my experiences with it, as I leave you with Naoki Yoshida‘s quote:

    It’s not about forcing players to keep playing the game consistently. If you just consume everything with each major patch then you’ve played everything, then you can play other games, you can spend your time and plan around your timing. If you want to come back to Final Fantasy XIV, you can come back and catch up easily. Everybody has different hobbies and ways they want to spend their time, they’re quite busy.

    Source: WCCFTech

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Journal: Long-Term Endgame Potential

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Journal: Long-Term Endgame Potential

    The last few days have been crazy for Marvel’s Avengers. A lot of details have leaked for the game. We just recently got our first look at War Machine and Black Panther. Shortly after, visuals teased the Inhuman Royal Family and even a gear customization menu. We are only a month into the game’s lifespan. The potential of new heroes, villains, and missions every month is an exciting prospect. It is hard to deny that it has been a bumpy start. Some bugs were even game-breaking. Still, Crystal Dynamics has been very active. They have been releasing patches just within the first few weeks. It gives some hope that the game will start to develop from here on.

    I wrote up an article about what I was hoping would be added to the game, which you can find by clicking here. I am slowly getting into developing my builds within the game. While I did play Destiny briefly, I never got too into it, so this is the first time I am heading in with a deep dive. So, after finishing most of the endgame, I do have some more thoughts on how they can fix their current lack of engagement. Many hardcore players may already have invested 100+ hours into the game, so now it becomes a fight to bridge between content updates. I already made a wishlist a while back, so this is more focused on long-term ideas to expand the Endgame concept. They won’t solve current issues but would make the game stand out more among the growing Gaming-as-a-Service market.

    From Mjolnir to Stormbreaker

    So, in my wishlist article, I discussed the overall loot issue. Exotics are currently available either through the single-player Mega Hive or multiplayer Elite Hives. They aren’t that much different, so the chances of finding an exotic aren’t high. Crystal Dynamics also nerved the gear tier Legendary to only having two instead of three perks. Now, this isn’t uncommon as they are rebalancing the game. Understandably, this way will not get the best reactions. At first glance, the gear system is very by-the-numbers. We have different levels with a variety of perks. There isn’t much making it stand out, as visual flourishes aren’t applied here like with Destiny. I don’t mind it as I’d rather hate finding a gear I enjoy but have to switch it out for better perks. It probably also isn’t easy to balance with the skins. I started to think about how they could make both sides work and give the gear a better upgrade.

    So, I had the idea of adding a unique weapon menu. Most every Avenger has a weapon or unique charm. So, why not create a special gear system around different weapon types. Users can then switch between weapons that have unique functions. You can collect gear to upgrade and develop them. It can also add visual flourishes like Mjolnir’s handle. This would work in conjunction with the regular gear system. Let’s say Thor has the choice between his hammer Mjolnir, or the Stormbreaker ax. You can now outfit each with special runes you grind. They each add different perks. As you upgrade your weapon, more slots become available. Not only does it give them unique attributes but also gives you an incentive to grind.

    Plus, with different weapons, you can adjust your playstyle. Crystal Dynamics can also expand the gear system with new weapons per character that add some new ability or perk. Of course, this is just a simplified idea that could potentially add some more depth. It would at least offer a unique aspect to the Avengers gear system to make it stand out. Even Iron Man or Kamala, who don’t have weapons to have special items that could be used as the basis. It’s probably going to take time to program something like this so who knows if we would see this implemented soon.

    Not your Usual Raid

    So, we are still waiting for our first official Raid within this game. The A.I.M. Secret Lab will be the first time we have a brand new mission and story element post-launch. It will consist of multiple floors and, hopefully, unique environments. We hope to see more of these kinds of events shortly but so far, this is the only one we are aware of. So, I was wondering what kind of Raid events can we expect. Especially if they would include unique villain encounters beyond the existing Villain Sector missions. At one point, Crystal Dynamics will have to face the challenge of implementing larger enemies like Galactus, Fin Fang Foom, or even the Kree army. So, how do they add something new to make these events stand out while pushing multiplayer.

    It could connect to my earlier idea surrounding the Chimera. Right now, it is just a hangout spot for your Strike team. Outside of your shops, there isn’t much to do at them. So, it would be great if you get a chance to develop and individualize your Chimera. You can upgrade it throughout your journey. You can even adapt it to how you want your Helicarrier to function. I would love it if you can also develop a team that is available through your actions with factions. This function can even be used at the various Outposts that you support in the game.

    So, why go through all this? Well, what if a Raid sees an attack on the Anthill or the upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. base? If you spent time helping them build it, they will give you more time to complete the mission. Also, the mission is unique if you join another person’s strike team. It creates an incentive to revisit raids that could offer different challenges. Raids could also involve multiple teams taking on massive enemies onboard of your Helicarrier. Each one would create a unique focus and support your team throughout the battle. You upgraded your Chimera to be cryo-focused, so it can temporarily slow down Galactus as he attacks. It would add diversity in the gameplay and also incentivize your work to upgrade your Outposts.

    Long-Term Ideas

    Right now, these ideas are more about the long-term potential this game has. Right now, Crystal Dynamics needs to focus on adding content to keep people playing. These are major additions that could expand the base game later down the road. We still do not know what the plan is for this game and how it will change in the coming months. Right now, its biggest issue is a lack of content once you finish the last major mission chain. It’s an issue for those that want to stick with the game long-time. I enjoy jumping in for a few rounds now as I enjoy the base gameplay. There are rumors of additional skill trees, which is an exciting prospect. It just shows that we are only at the beginning of what is to come in this game’s future. Hopefully, the wait is not that long as we enter the game’s second month.

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Teases Dum Dum Dugan for Future Update

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Teases Dum Dum Dugan for Future Update

    There truly is no rest for the wicked. In the last few days, we have been getting a lot of unofficial leaks for upcoming characters. Don’t worry, this time it actually is an official tease by the developers. Now, it seems that Marvel’s Avengers’ official Twitter account is starting to be subtle about future updates. In an official tweet, they asked players what their favorite quote was and included a GIF from the game. Nothing too big about it. Yet, the moment it starts repeating you realize that two areas are being shown off. The first is the underwater base that is the focus of Black Widow’s mission chain. It’s the last few seconds that really grab our attention.

    Yeah, that is Dum Dum Dugan in the green sweater and bowler hat. We haven’t seen this character in the Avengers game outside of a short tease. The first joint mission in the Snowy Tundra reveals that Nick Fury has vanished. He left messages for the remaining members of S.H.I.E.L.D. So far, we’ve only met Hill through mission briefings and she will be the main focus of the upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. Substation Zero that was featured in the last major War Table video. If we compare the teases from that video, this area in this GIF are definitely the Substation. The overgrowth in the background is the dead giveaway.

    So, why does this matter? Well, this confirms that the character will be around in the Substation rather than as his own faction. He was a prominent face during Fury’s speech so many of us thought he would be splintered off into his own section. Even the recent leaks of UI visuals teased a War Council faction that seemed fitting for the Howling Commando. There is still a chance he splinters off into his own storyline so this might be a set-up. It is just interesting that the character only showed up now after being teased early on in the Reassemble campaign. Also, it is strange to include him in a random GIF. There is a good chance they are teasing an upcoming update to officially build some hype for the Outpost and A.I.M. Secret Lab update.

    Source: Twitter, YouTube

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Artwork Teases the Coming of the Inhumans

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Artwork Teases the Coming of the Inhumans

    You’d think the tease of Black Panther’s design would be the highlight of the day for Marvel’s Avengers news. We’ve been anxiously waiting for the reveal of the game’s roadmap. It would finally confirm when we can expect various heroes and new mission types. The last War Table video was released during the launch at the beginning of September. Now, as most have gotten to the Endgame we are wondering what the future may hold. It’s not just about characters but mission types, customization options, and many more. Luckily, it seems that Senior UI artist Rick Stalder released some images of his work on the game. They offer a variety of looks at the early stages of the game’s User Interface development. There is, however, one aspect that truly stands out. We might get an expansion to let us create our own gear at some point.

     

     

    There isn’t much to go by with different visuals. It seems that there are four layers that might be connected to the four gear slots of each character. We know this must’ve been early on as J.A.R.V.I.S. design is quite different in the main game. The dead giveaway is the different menus of Create, Customize, Quantize, and Key Forge. The resource designs are a bit unique in this version but there is a good chance this is still part of the development. Most players, including myself, are hoping to create their own builds. For example, I am trying to create a Thor that uses cryo, or freeze-based technology. This would make this a much easier process and incentivize using old gear.

    That’s not the only thing this showcase includes. The UI designer also uploaded character and faction symbols. What stands out are the two symbols for Black Panther and War Machine. These were leaked early on by @mmmmmmmmiller, who provided us with the War Machine design leak. So this also confirms that the Royal Inhuman family would become an additional faction within the game.

     

     

    The symbols are mixed and if it was a specific member of the Family it would most likely be Black Bolt. The story focuses on the new era of Inhumans after the A-Day incident. Now that A.I.M. has been shaken up, it makes sense to introduce the Royal family. Hank Pym is currently leading the Inhuman faction but he can only help them so much. I really hope they get included sooner rather than later, as they would be an amazing addition. Black Bolt or Crystal would also be great additions with their unique attributes. I must point out that both the current Inhuman faction and the S.H.I.E.L.D. faction isn’t included. It is uncertain if the New Coalition Alliance, War Council Military, or Dual Helix Science might be future additions down the road.

    It also looks like there was a plan to introduce missions at the Gold Coast. In an image of an older War Table, we see some familiar set pieces with different names. The Gold Coast is only revisited in the final story mission at the ruins of the A-Day incident. There might have been plans for you to revisit that location at some point. The Golden Gate bridge is shown to be unharmed so who knows how much the story has changed throughout the development.

     

     

    There are many more images in this collection. We see some of the UI during action sequences. They don’t look much different from our final results. The one thing that really stands out is that the main menu seems to have only been adapted slightly. The marketplace and news were adjusted but there always was the plan to split up the single- and multiplayer elements. The only thing is that at some point the Avengers Initiative was to be titled “Sky Watch” which could be a temporary name. Also, the visual includes a comic-accurate Maestro skin for Hulk that I haven’t seen in-game yet. So, we might expect a lot more comic-accurate skins coming our way in the future.

     

     

    If you’re interested in checking out more be sure to click here to Rick Stalder‘s ArtStation entry on the game. There is a surprising amount to take away from here and I cannot wait to see what is coming our way. Crystal Dynamics released the game buggy but has been very active in getting it where it needs to be. Sadly, we are still waiting for that official road map. We do not know how detailed it is but it will be an indicator of what the coming months or even year have in store for us. These leaks have been great to hype up what may be coming our way and I hope these elements like the gear customization and the Inhuman Royal Family will be early additions.

    EDIT: Here’s a shoutout to @spyder4lyfe1994 for finding the info before me!

    Source: Art Station