The Marvel’s Avengers next-gen ports have been pushed back to 2021 as various issues keep the game from moving into the next phase of support and development. The answer to this delay is simple the team behind Marvel’s Avengers need “time to deliver a next-gen experience showcasing all that this game is meant to be.”
The Marvel’s Avengers next-gen ports could well be the saving grace the game needs. But it remains to be seen if that salvation can come fast enough. Having the developer announce that the PS5 and Xbox Series X editions are getting delayed is bad enough, but that’s not the only issue. It appears that plans are going up in smoke over at Crystal Dynamics as the team has also had to delay DLC.
The developers have promised more content is on the way, but how long will we have to wait. The team has already struggled to patch in fixes for various crippling problems, so fans are curious and wary about what to expect. The company has already delayed the release of DLC character Kate Bishop’s Operation. That was supposed to come out this month, but it looks like the staff and money isn’t there to make that happen.
The developer has said their current focus is to get to a “fixed, predictable patching cycle” to correct the various problems. That may not come fast enough to save the game though. Player numbers are less than 10% of what they were at the peak. Peak player counts on Steam were around 30,000. Now, the game struggles to have more than 1,500 in-game and we’re only a month after launch.
It’s pretty clear that Square Enix has pulled the plug on additional funding and support to some degree, as they likely don’t want to pour more staff and time into a game that they may want to shut down soon. It’s quite possible this delay could turn into an outright cancellation in the next few weeks.
Sure, having cross-play with a new batch of next-gen players is nice for a temporary bump in user numbers and sales. But long-term monetization won’t be affected positively if those players don’t stick around.
Players will get some kind of gift as a repentant thank-you for buying the game. The devs will give a “digital thank you bundle” to those who log in between October 22 and November 5. The reward will include 1,500 credits, 7,000 units, 250 upgradable modules, 20 DNA keys, and a Sarah Garza-inspired nameplate.
