Summary
Since Marvel has been dominating the box office for years now, it would make sense that the gaming industry would want a slice of that market. While superhero games have always existed, it seems like there is a bit of a resurgence with the likes ofInsomniac Games’Marvel’s Spider-Man, Firaxis’Marvel’s Midnight Suns, and the upcomingSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. And now Arkane is joining the fray with the recently announcedMarvel’s Blade.
Not much is known aboutMarvel’s Blade, but what the studio has shared sounds extremely exciting. It will be a brand-new mature single-player adventure from the creators ofDeathloopandDishonored. That sounds like the perfect match, so hopefully it delivers. And while some players assumed that it was going to be an Xbox exclusive, it currently seems like it will not be. However, not making it one feels like a massive mistake.
Marvel’s Blade Seems Like the Perfect Xbox Exclusive Experience
Xbox Really Needs a Big New Headlining Franchise
The announcement trailer forMarvel’s Blademade no mention of the consoles it would launch on, nor does it have the Xbox Game Studios logo. Yet, Arkane is an Xbox studio, so it would make sense for it to be an Xbox Series X exclusive. However, there is no confirmation one way or the other, which seems odd. Especially because it seems like it is exactly what Microsoft needs right now.
While Microsoft hassomething great with Xbox Game Pass, it does not really have a headlining franchise right now.Halo Infiniteleft much to be desired,Minecraft’s spin-offs do not have mass appeal,Gears of Waris nowhere to be found, and the nextFalloutorElder Scrollsis miles away. The only consistent franchise it really has isForza Motorsport,but that could all change if it explored the Marvel universe further.
Marvel’s Bladeis likely a ways off, but if it is a hit, then it could give Xbox a brand-new massive franchise to play with. The Marvel universe is filled to the brim with characters to explore, and gaming is the perfect place to do that. Plus, it is said to be mature, which would make it drastically different from almost every superhero game before it. That sounds like a great way to tap into a previously untapped market for Xbox, so making the game exclusive seems like an obvious choice.
Blade is a Great Anthesis to Spider-Man
It is not like Marvel forbids exclusive games either, as Sony seems to be going all in on the Marvel universe. Even thoughMarvel’s Spider-ManandMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moraleslaunched on Steam, the franchise was conceived as a PlayStation exclusive.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2continued that trend, andMarvel’s Wolverineis set to expand that exclusivityinto other Marvel heroes. If Sony can build a PlayStation Marvel universe, then there is seemingly no reason Xbox cannot follow suit.
Whilethe console wars may be fading into obscurity,Marvel’s Bladeseems like the perfect competitor toMarvel’s Spider-Man. As Sony gives players open-world adventures with their favorite web swinger, Xbox could be giving them dark and gritty vampire-slaying games throughBlade. Plus, if that game succeeds, then the studio could delve even further into the supernatural side of the Marvel universe. This would not only give Xbox its own unique version of Marvel to play with, but would also give players so many more options, which is always a good thing.
It seems strange that Xbox would not plaster its logo all overMarvel’s Bladeor announce that it is an exclusive game. There is a chance that this is the start of the studio moving away from its console to be more of a multiplatform developer, or it could simply be waiting to reveal more as the release date nears. Whatever the case may be, this silence is deafening, so hopefully, it knows what it is doing.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.Explore an expansive Marvel’s New York with faster web-swinging and the all-new Web Wings, quickly switching between Peter and Miles to experience different stories, epic new abilities and high-tech gear.Wield Peter’s symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric powers in battle against new and iconic Marvel Super Villains – including an original take on a symbiote-infused Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and more from the Marvel Rogues’ Gallery.
