Marvel’s Avengers is one of many games that are in line to receive dedicated next-gen releases for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Like a few others, Avengers’ next-gen version was due out on November 10 for Xbox, and November 12 for PS5, as a launch title for both. That, however, has now been delayed.
In an update on Square Enix’s website by Scot Amos, studio head of developers Crystal Dynamics, it’s been confirmed that the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S releases of Marvel’s Avengers have been pushed back to 2021, with no specific date or window mentioned. Amos says this has been done to “ensure that we give our team the time to deliver a next-gen experience showcasing all that this game is meant to be.” The game will, of course, still be playable on next-gen consoles via backward compatibility, but its properly optimized next-gen release won’t come until later.
And that’s not the only thing that’s been delayed. Marvel’s Avengers was due to receive its first major post-launch DLC, with Kate Bishop supposed to be arriving as a playable character with her own story missions some time this month. That has been delayed as well- out of October “by a bit”, in Amos’ words.
“We know fans are hungry for new content, but delivering a fun experience is our priority,” Amos writes. “With this in mind, we’ve decided to push Kate Bishop’s Operation launch back a bit, out of October. We’re sorry for this slight delay, but we are dedicated as a team to quality first.”
After Kate Bishop’s arrival in October, Hawkeye was next in line for November. Amos’ update mentions the second DLC as well, saying more information on it will be coming soon, but doesn’t mention if the delay to Kate Bishop’s DLC has affected Hawkeye’s release schedule.
Amos also mentions another content drop coming in 2021, which is supposedly “biggest Avengers Initiative addition yet” and will add “a new Hero, region, and narrative arc.” It’s possible that he’s referring to Spider-Man, who’s confirmed for 2021 (possibly in March), but exclusively for PlayStation.
The delay of a DLC, especially the first major post-launch DLC, would be worrying for both the playerbase and developers of what’s built as a live service experience. Though Marvel’s Avengers clearly sold very well at launch, its players counts have been dropping sharply, so Square Enix will be hoping that this delay doesn’t affect it too badly.
Marvel’s Avengers is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia. You can read our review of the game through here.