Crystal Dynamics said earlier in the year that its plans for the less-than-stellar Marvel’s Avengers included “lots of new heroes”, but it seems like that’s not going to extend too far into the future. A new report on Exputer published by prominent Avengers insider Miller Ross has shed light on the game’s troubled development both pre- and post-launch, while also revealing that support for the title might be ending in the near future.
The report describes Marvel’s Avengers’ many behind-the-scenes issues, chief among them being its usage of Crystal Dynamics’ internal engine, which, owing to massive accumulated tech debt, has caused a bevy of issues with the game (and is partly why the studio has transitioned to Unreal Engine 5 for the next Tomb Raider game).
Other issues with the game are described throughout the report, including lackluster post-launch support, a failure to meet the release schedule for a number of post-launch releases, failure to add previously promised features to the game, and controversies attached to the game’s developers. Due to shifting internal priorities, it seems like the frequently-leaked She-Hulk expansion has also been cancelled.
The report goes on to say that Marvel’s Avengers support will be ending soon as a result of its many issues. At the outset, Crystal Dynamics allegedly intended to support the game for a period of at least 3-5 years, and at this point, it seems like the studio only plans to hit the lower end of the threshold. According to Ross’ report, Marvel’s Avengers will be sunset in 2023, with no plans to release new content for the game beyond that. Ross has previously reported this as well.
Of course, what’s interesting is that according to recent reports, Crystal Dynamics’ new owner Embracer Group is in the process of working out a Marvel deal that “extends well beyond Avengers“, so it remains to be seen whether that’ll see Crystal Dynamics being roped back into the universe. For now, however, it seems like the studio’s experience with the beloved universe isn’t going to live long in the memory for anyone after its seemingly imminent demise.
