Marvel Is Sitting on the Perfect Multiplayer Game (And Now Is the Right Time for It)

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Marvel Comics characters have inspired some fantastic games, including titles like Marvel Rivals and Marvel’s Ultimate Alliance. These games are great for playing with friends, letting you team up and combine unique superpowers to tackle challenges. But one of Marvel’s oldest groups of heroes could be the basis for even more diverse games, fitting into many different styles thanks to their rich backstory.

Marvel games with multiple players have tried different things, but most feature a wide variety of characters instead of a small, focused team. Games like Ultimate Alliance bring together heroes and villains from throughout Marvel history, including the X-Men and Avengers. While games like Marvel’s Spider-Man and Wolverine often tell the story of a single character, it’s rare to find a game that centers around a small group of heroes working as a team.

The Fantastic Four Need A Proper Game Similar To Other Marvel Success Stories

The Fantastic Four have been a cornerstone of Marvel Comics since the 1960s, with iconic members like Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing, and The Human Torch starring in countless stories. Despite their importance in Marvel’s history, they haven’t appeared in many video games. Aside from a few cameos in titles like Marvel Rivals and Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects, Marvel’s first family has been largely absent from the gaming world.

The reason you don’t see the Fantastic Four in many places is complicated, largely stemming from long-running copyright issues. For years, the rights to the characters were held by 20th Century Fox, not Marvel. After Disney bought Fox, the rights returned to Marvel, but to keep things consistent with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the Fantastic Four haven’t been featured in most video games for the past twenty years.

The Fantastic Four have only been the main focus of a handful of video games: an arcade game from 1997 and two games tied to the early 2000s Fox movies. Of those three, only the arcade game drew inspiration from the Fantastic Four’s comic book history, while the movie tie-ins simply retold the films’ stories. Given the rich history of Fantastic Four comics, it’s surprising they haven’t appeared in more games.

Four Player Co-Op Would Be Perfect For Marvel’s First Family

A Fantastic Four game has a lot of potential, but what really makes the team special is their teamwork. That’s why a multiplayer game where four players each control a different member – with powers based on their unique abilities – would be a great fit. Imagine Invisible Woman sneaking past enemies, or the Human Torch flying to reach areas and overcome challenges the others can’t.

A Fantastic Four game could be really fun, letting each player feel like a unique hero, just like in the comics. For example, Mr. Fantastic could focus on solving tricky puzzles, and The Thing could be a powerful, close-combat fighter. The game could really emphasize working together, similar to how games like It Takes Two and Split Fiction require players to help each other succeed.

Many Different Genres Could Provide The Blueprint For The Fantastic Four To Follow

There’s huge potential for a Fantastic Four video game, especially one designed for four players to team up. Imagine exploring incredible locations with Marvel’s first family – from battling Galactus in deep space to facing Doctor Doom in his home country of Latveria. Similar to the Marvel’s Spider-Man game, a strong story told through exciting cutscenes could really capture what makes the Fantastic Four so popular.

Another option would be to feature the Fantastic Four in a beat-em-up game, either as downloadable content for Marvel’s Cosmic Invasion or as a standalone title. A simple premise of four heroes battling endless waves of enemies could really showcase each character’s unique abilities, culminating in challenging boss fights where they work together.

Highly skilled developers could create an RPG based on the Fantastic Four, really highlighting each character’s intelligence and how they strategically handle challenges. The recent Fantastic Four: First Steps movie demonstrated how clever each member is, making a turn-based game similar to Baldur’s Gate 3 – where characters gradually become more powerful – a great way to showcase their individual strengths.

A Fantastic Four game could feature many characters from their comic book history, like the mysterious Mole Man or Reed and Sue Richards’ kids, Franklin and Valeria. Given the vast and interesting stories surrounding the Fantastic Four, it’s surprising Marvel hasn’t created a fantastic multiplayer game starring them yet.

If you could design a Fantastic Four video game, what would it be like? Share your ideas in the comments or discuss it with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-29 23:16