Marvel’s Avengers was one of the most awaited titles in 2020, owing to its huge brand name and production. However, since its release in May 2020, the community’s response to game has been below satisfactory. Publisher Square Enix recently reported a loss of over $62 million in its quarterly numbers for HD games led by Marvel’s Avengers.
Apparently, the publisher could only make 60% of the planned sales for Marvel’s Avengers and the loss in micro-transactions adds to it. According to David Gibson, co-founder of Astris Advisory Japan KK, the game cost over $100 million but only sold a paltry 3 million units.
Square Enix – reported Yen6.5bn loss for HD Games driven by Marvel Avengers, would not say how many sold but that volumes were 60% of plan. Implies game cost over $100m to make but only sold 3m or so. Ouch
— David Gibson (@gibbogame) November 6, 2020
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As for now, Square Enix has not revealed the total cost to make the game, but David assumes that it ranges from $170-$190 million.
“Why someone didn’t say stop post the multiplayer beta will remain a mystery . Square are adamant they can make a recovery ….”
Marvel Avengers- it looks like the total cost of the game is closer to $170m-$190m given they only expenses 70% of cost in the qtr plus marketing costs. Why someone didn’t say stop post the multiplayer beta will remain a mystery . Square are adamant they can make a recovery ….
— David Gibson (@gibbogame) November 7, 2020
Reasons for Marvel’s Avengers failure
There are some specific reasons for the failure of Marvel’s Avengers. Fans around the world love the inspiring stories and struggles of superheroes. However, Square Enix’s superhero game fails to deliver a catchy storyline. The developers had promised that the game is a fresh take, but after the release, it feels like a failed adaption of Marvel’s ‘Inhuman’ storyline.
Also, it emphasizes more on a multiplayer mode that is based on several in-game transactions. Players can enjoy playing as the superheroes only if they buy their skill-sets and abilities. Certainly, such a money-minded approach from the developers has worked against them.
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Can the game recover from the recurring losses?
Following a terrible start, Marvel’s Avengers can only get better from this point. The developers have realized that the community won’t reward them for a generic game with popular branding. As a result, they have finally started making the right changes.
With the recent updates, the game finally has more content, and it feels relevant. There are several games that improved drastically even after a disappointing start. Some of the most noticeable names in the list are No Man’s Sky, Final Fantasy 14, and Diablo 3.
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As for now, Marvel’s Avengers is more of a liability than an asset for Square Enix. However, with constant updates, the developers can regain the trust of the community.