Crystal Dynamics is ending support on Marvel’s Avengers

Crystal Dynamics is pulling the plug on its 2020 superhero brawler in September 2023 after general disappointment and controversy since its launch.

The details:

• Crystal Dynamics confirmed in a blog post published on January 20 that official support for Marvel's Avengers will end on September 30, 2023. According to the developers, the decision was made "in conjunction with our partners that now was the right time to make this change.”
• The game will remain fully playable in both single-player and multiplayer modes, but no further updates will be released after version 2.8, which is set to launch on March 31, 2023. The update contains no new content, but players will be able to obtain all cosmetics from the game's controversial marketplace for free. This includes any cosmetics earned through Hero Challenge Cards and Shipments, as these systems will be shut down.
• Once support has ended, players will no longer be able to receive customer service for the game, no new content will be added, and, most importantly, the game will no longer be available for purchase on digital storefronts, meaning those looking to purchase the game after September 30 will need to track down a physical copy.

What went wrong?

• Marvel’s Avengers had a rough launch with mixed reviews stemming from bugs, a lack of content, and repetitive gameplay, causing a massive decline in players in the months following release.
• Despite previous promises that consumable microtransactions would never be added, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics decided to introduce paid XP boosts into the game in October 2021. Because of the backlash from those who stuck with the game, the developer and publisher backed down and removed them less than a month later.
• Square Enix confirmed that its HD division, which is responsible for the game, reported a ¥5 billion ($48.4 million USD) operating loss in the first half of its 2020-21 fiscal year. According to the report, the company's president, Yosuke Matsuda, "initial sales of Marvel's Avengers were lower than we had expected, and we were unable to completely offset the amortization of the game's development costs." Later that year, Square Enix sold Crystal Dynamics, Eidos, and Square Enix Montreal to the Embracer Group, along with their IPs, putting the final nail in the coffin of the troubled title.

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