While it is unclear just how longMarvel’s Avengerswill continue to be supported for, or if there are any plans for more major content drops like War For Wakanda,Crystal Dynamicshas given fans a better look at what is coming in the near future. Not only did the June Development Update reveal that Jane Foster is coming in just a few weeks’ time, but it also touched on the type of content that will be released after she joins the roster.
Intriguingly, June Development Update suggests that the content coming after Jane Foster is added will consist of “an ongoing series of hero and villain focused content updates.” Based on what is laid out in the post, it seems clear that the post-launch focus going forward will be on quicker additions that address the lack of boss fights and add new heroes. While this has its upsides, it could also be step back forMarvel’s Avengersin a few ways.
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Breaking Down Marvel’s Avengers' New Content Plan
While Jane Foster Thor is confirmed to have her own hero card and unique abilities like the All-Weapon Ultimate, these are not the most interesting things about her addition. According to Crystal Dynamics,The Mighty Thoris coming with her own Hero mission chain, but no Operation. This means that her update will not be adding a significant story full of new missions, cutscenes, and bosses. Instead, she will be handled like the Spider-Man DLC.
This could very well become the norm for new hero additions, as Operations likely took a lot of time and money to develop. For those unfamiliar withHero mission chains, they are essentially just challenges for players to complete, with a minor story attached. As players complete Jane’s challenges, they will likely interact with some characters in one of the game’s hubs, unlocking a special outfit at the end of the quest line. Outside a brief cutscene to introduce Jane and a possible trailer, fans should not expect unique cinematics or missions to be added alongside her.
As for what is coming to the game after Jane, Crystal Dynamics confirmed that a co-op version of the MODOK boss fight is imminent. Players will learn that he survived through a new Warzone mission, with anOmega Level Threatseeing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes team up to fight the villain. This Omega Level Threat will be the long-promised Cloning Lab endgame content, with Crystal Dynamics promising that it will be “satisfying and meaningful.” No release date for this content is surprising, though a July release seems likely since it will be talked about more in the next Development Update.
The Pros of Marvel’s Avengers’ New Post-Launch Approach
There are several positive takeaways to make following the new Development Update forMarvel’s Avengers, with the biggest being that a new boss is coming. Since the game’s debut, one of its biggest issues has been a lack of boss variety, with villains likeTaskmasterand Abomination constantly appearing. Crystal Dynamics has been slowly adding to the boss pool, and MODOK’s addition will thankfully see it expanding further. With the promise that more villain-focused updates are on the way,Marvel’s Avengerscould finally be fixing one of its key flaws.
MODOK being introduced with a Warzoneand then being the star of an Omega Level Threat is another smart move, as players can get a bit of backstory before jumping into a fresh boss battle. This could be a great format for Crystal Dynamics, as it could set up additional villains with a basic mission before letting players fight them in a Villain Sector or Omega Level Threat. More consistent updates are what the game needs, as months of downtime between big content drops has kept the concurrent player count forMarvel’s Avengerslow.
Jane Foster being so similar to Thor may make her addition less exciting than someone likeDoctor Strange or Scarlet Witch, but the way she is being added could prove promising. While many may be bummed that she is seemingly not getting a story Operation like the two Hawkeyes, sticking to Hero mission chains could allow Crystal Dynamics to expand the roster faster. The window between Jane and the leaked She-Hulk hero could be far briefer, for example, as could the wait between She-Hulk’s release and whoever comes after her.
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The Cons of Marvel’s Avengers’ New Post-Launch Approach
Though adding heroes and villains faster is a good move, it is hard not to be a bit disappointed that Operations and Expansions no longer seem to be the focus. While the extensive wait between them was not viable, and proved detrimental to the game in the long term, having hours of new story content to dive into as well as some fresh regions was exciting. The fact that Spider-Man and Jane Foster do not get the same level of fan fare and story moments as other DLC heroes is a bit of a bummer, as players would have surely loved to explore Asgard or battle a villain likeSandman.
While gameplay could be improved through this new approach, and content could come faster, it would be a shame if fans never saw an update as big asWar for Wakandaagain. Further, the story could suffer with this new post-launch style, as the narrative could be limited to elevator conversations, collectibles, and in-game text. Considering how strong the story of the main campaign was, as well as War for Wakanda, it is a bit sad that cutscenes and multi-mission Operations could be a thing of the past.
Ultimately, though, this is the right move on Crystal Dynamics’ part. If the developer can start releasing new missions monthly, and adding villains and heroes at more regular intervals, the pros outweigh the cons. The game’s biggest issues have been enemy variety and a lack of consistency when it comes to content updates, two problems that the new strategy seems to address. Bringing players back to the game every few months for an Operation and then giving them nothing to do once the story has been finished has not worked thus far, so shifting to a plan that sees more content added faster is ideal. Further, withMarvel’s Avengers’ future post-Embracer acquisitionstill a bit unclear, the fact that any content is coming after Jane Foster should be seen as good news.
Marvel’s Avengersis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
