Electronic Arts (EA) has scrapped its planned “Black Panther” video game, yet enthusiasts of comic book heroes can look forward to other exciting superhero games in the pipeline. The “Black Panther” project from the fresh studio Cliffhanger Games was initially announced in 2023. Over time, it became one of many delayed superhero gaming projects without any new updates about the game being shared until recently.
It was disclosed on May 28th that the production of “Black Panther” by Electronic Arts and Cliffhanger Games has been terminated, leading to the shutdown of the studio responsible for it. This upcoming Marvel Games project (initially planned as one of three from EA) was expected to be a significant venture within the superhero universe, aligning itself with titles like “Blade”, “Iron Man”, and “Wolverine” as highly anticipated licensed games based on popular comic book characters.
As a passionate cinephile, I received the unfortunate news about “Black Panther” directly from IGN. They reported that the production was put on hold, and sadly, everyone at Seattle’s Cliffhanger studio, who were working tirelessly on this project, have been let go.
This is the second significant cancellation of a superhero video game this year, with the first being the termination of Monolith’s Wonder Woman project and the studio that developed it back in February.
The EA Black Panther project has roots traced back to 2022, marking the time when Kevin Stephens, previously the vice-president at Monolith Studios, departed from Shadow of War studio and subsequently established a new team that later evolved into Cliffhanger Games.
2023 saw the unveiling of the game, labeled as a “single-player open-world adventure” only with its logo. Since then, updates have been minimal, leading to the game’s removal from EA’s schedule. An internal email stated that EA is refocusing their efforts and channeling their creative energy towards areas with the most potential growth.
It’s good news that Black Panther isn’t the sole superhero video game project; there are others in development too, even one at Electronic Arts (EA).
Every Superhero Video Game in Development
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
The most immediate title among these powerhouse games is “Marvel Cosmic Invasion.” Hailing from the studio behind “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge,” Tribute Games, and publisher Dotemu, this game transports fans to the era of arcade beat-em-ups that required coins.
Revisiting the 2D beat-’em-up games from the past, this latest Marvel title features a roster of iconic comic book characters such as Nova, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Phyla-Vell, and Captain America. They fight their way through numerous side-scrolling stages to defeat the malevolent Annihilus.
Inspired by the 2D brawlers of old, this new Marvel game brings together a lineup of classic comic book characters like Nova, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Phyla-Vell, and Captain America. They battle across dozens of side-scrolling levels to vanquish the wicked Annihilus.
The game is scheduled for release towards the end of this year, and it can be played on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles, as well as on personal computers through Steam.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
In addition to EA’s Black Panther game, there’s another digital journey featuring the Wakandan hero in development. Namely, Skydance Media’s Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X, and Series S, though it has been pushed back to 2026 due to a delay.
As a passionate cinephile, I’m thrilled about the upcoming project from the director of Uncharted games, Amy Hennig. This time, we’re venturing into the backdrop of World War II. Instead of uncovering long-lost treasures, we follow the iconic duo, Captain America and Black Panther, as they embark on a mission to foil Hyrda’s nefarious schemes that span war-torn Europe.
In simple terms, “Rise of Hydra” is often referred to as a grand, cinematic saga that reflects Hennig’s renowned reputation within the gaming industry. This is her debut in the Marvel universe, marking her unique blend of single-player action and adventure.
Dispatch
Among the games listed here, the unique one that isn’t adapted from any previous property is the forthcoming narrative adventure game titled “Dispatch.
This new creation by Adhoc Studio signifies their debut project, as a collective of ex-employees from Telltale Games, Ubisoft, and Night School Studio have now embarked on applying their skills to the interactive storytelling format, which has previously been utilized in games such as “The Walking Dead”, “Life Is Strange”, and “Tales from the Borderlands”.
The game titled “Dispatch” is a humorous narrative adventure set within a workplace, where the main characters are a group of superheroes for hire. Expected to launch in 2025 on both PCs and gaming consoles, it boasts an impressive ensemble cast with Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad and Laura Baily from Critical Role among its stars.
Iron Man
As a dedicated movie buff and gaming enthusiast, I must share my thoughts on the recent development regarding Electronic Arts’ Marvel Games. Originally, Black Panther was slated to join the roster of their Marvel titles in progress. However, its cancellation has now left only one game from this superhero universe still scheduled for release by the publisher.
As a movie enthusiast and gaming aficionado, I can’t help but feel excited about the latest project that EA Motive has been working tirelessly on – an all-new Iron Man game! Just like the thrilling reveal of Black Panther in September 2022, this news sent shivers down the spines of Marvel fans everywhere. The game, as reported, is a riveting single-player action-adventure experience that puts us right in the heart of Marvel’s legendary armored Avenger. I can hardly wait to suit up and soar into the action!
There isn’t much information available about the game yet, but it remains a focus at EA. Fans are eagerly awaiting details on what the upcoming Iron Man game will offer, given that the same publisher successfully captured Iron Man-like flight in 2019’s Anthem.
Blade
At Geoff Keighley’s annual Game Awards event in December 2023, it was revealed that Blade, a renowned character from Marvel, will make his debut in the digital realm. This groundbreaking venture is being spearheaded by the skilled developers of emergent stealth action at Arkane Lyon for the first time.
Originating from the studio recognized primarily for their contributions to the popular Dishonored series, as well as Blade, Arkane Studios appears to be an ideal pairing. Yet, details regarding the upcoming project remain scant.
Over time, bits and pieces regarding the game have been leaked, and here are some key details: The game is set in Paris, where Blade battles a vampire attack on the city. Unlike Arkane’s typical first-person view, this game will be played from a third-person perspective. It’s also possible that this game might arrive prior to Marvel Studios’ unsuccessful Blade film.
Wolverine
Over the past few years, Insomniac Games, a division of PlayStation, has earned a reputation for creating outstanding superhero games, notably the highly praised Spider-Man series. Yet, it’s worth noting that Spider-Man isn’t the only comic book hero that this Los Angeles studio is interested in exploring.
In 2021, there was an announcement about Marvel’s Wolverine, with a mysterious trailer depicting the mutant with claws, poised to fight in a bar setting. However, much like other games of this kind, updates concerning Wolverine have been rather scarce since then.
2023 saw an unexpected sneak peek of the upcoming game by Insomniac, as they fell victim to a widespread cyber-attack. This incident led to the exposure of several crucial internal files, among which was leaked footage of the Wolverine gameplay. However, the team has remained tight-lipped about revealing more details, keeping the release information and specific storyline under wraps (find out our speculations on the release date for Wolverine here).
Untitled Batman Game (Rumored)
Now, let’s talk about the section of our list where some games haven’t officially been announced yet but are believed to be in development. It’s rumored that Rocksteady Games, known for their Warner Bros. projects, is already deeply engrossed in creating another single-player game featuring Batman.
The news about Monolith’s “Wonder Woman” game being cancelled originated from Jason Schreier at Bloomberg in February. This decision was made after the disappointing performance of their previous project, the multiplayer shooter “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” which reportedly cost Warner Bros over $100 million.
Details about the upcoming, unannounced Batman game are still kept under wraps, though some fans have hypothesized that it might revolve around the concept of Batman Beyond, taking place in a future adaptation of the Batman: Arkham universe.
Spider-Man 3 (Rumored)
In the realm of popular superhero video games, it’s no secret that Insomniac’s upcoming title, _Spider-Man 3_, has been eagerly anticipated. The last swing through the city from the creators of _Ratchet & Clank_ was released in the year 2023, hinting at a potential third installment where our heroes, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, would once again don their Spidey suits to combat an array of powerful adversaries.
For quite some time now, there’s been a lot of news circulating about Marvel Games’ third installment without an official announcement. In September 2023, Insomniac’s narrative director Ben Arfmann shared with io9 that they aim to continue “sharing more tales” within the Spider-Man universe.
Subsequently, there have been numerous enigmatic statements from the game’s main leads, including Miles Morales actor Nadji Jeter, who expressed his readiness to participate in a potential third installment during an interview with TopMob in February.
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2025-05-30 21:05