-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Marvel’s Avengers: What went wrong, what went right, the problem with marketing the game for everyone and... can it be fixed?
- Thread starter Mandalorian
- Start date
After they announce Black Panther and Wakanda at the next war table, I expect those Black Friday and Christmas sales to be through the roof.
So you think Andrew Reiner of Game Informer, a dude who's been reviewing games for DECADES, is now invalidated because he gave the game an 8.8? Man cut it out lol
You been trippin over this game for the past few days. If you think it's so bad why keep talking about it? You just tryna argue.
So according to gamestats, this game has fewer than 1.2 million people that have played this on PS4.
Steam peaked at about 30k players. No idea about Xbox, but it's probably not much better.
This is way below what I thought it would do. I thought 4 million on PS4 at the low end. Hell, Spider-man on PS4 had 5 million at release. While I'm sure they can recover from these initial missteps and build on what they've done, it's got a long way to go to overcome middling reviews and meet Destiny's numbers.
Steam peaked at about 30k players. No idea about Xbox, but it's probably not much better.
This is way below what I thought it would do. I thought 4 million on PS4 at the low end. Hell, Spider-man on PS4 had 5 million at release. While I'm sure they can recover from these initial missteps and build on what they've done, it's got a long way to go to overcome middling reviews and meet Destiny's numbers.
OP
OP
If the game legitimately didn't sell well in North America, that's very surprising. I assumed this would be a smash no matter what.
Game is an absolute disaster. After beating the campaign and leveling up one character to 50, I can say I am done for now. Glitches everywhere, grind is not very fun and the ranged attacks from enemies are infuriating. I think GAAS games are just not for me.
OP
OP
I think one of my biggest disappointments with the game are the costumes.
I really thought this game was going to be packed with unlockable costumes from all over the world of Marvel. Costumes ripped straight out of the comics and movies and all of that. A big celebration.
Instead, it's almost entirely just color swaps and the actual designs are just... blah.
I really thought this game was going to be packed with unlockable costumes from all over the world of Marvel. Costumes ripped straight out of the comics and movies and all of that. A big celebration.
Instead, it's almost entirely just color swaps and the actual designs are just... blah.
Pretty sure sales numbers are always lower than players because there's no way Street Fighter V has sold 9 million, Spiderman 30 million or Horizon 20 million
Last edited:
If the publisher and devs aren't panicking about numbers like this then they're crazy. Whatever road map they had in mind should be tossed out and replaced. Fix glitches, distribute content faster than they anticipated and lower the microtransaction costs. The faster they work towards building faith in this game the better.
Fine for him, but giving nearly a 9 for some kind of broken game is nonsense. you can really like a game as a reviewer but when there are problems like in this game which include every spectrum-from bugs to glitches over hard crashes and game breakers-you can´t give this game such a score. take MHWilliams of USgamer for example, he is seemingly enjoying this game as he is active in the OT but he gave this game a 2,5/5 because he can clearly see the problems.
i am nearly 39 years old, played so many games that i can´t even count it, but i can count the games that were in a horrible state and unfortunately this game is one of them over the span of over 30 years of gaming experience.
i am just pissed about the fact that games in states like this get a pass these days, these are high profile games releasing in some kind of beta state for full price, it is just sad that people are defending shit like this instead of being critical.
as i´ve said people can like every game on this planet, when there are problems they should at least be honest to themselves and say: "well while i like this really much, i see the state this game is in and well, it is just not good when it comes to the technical aspects."
with that i will leave this topic and threads about this game in general, you are right, i am getting too worked up about a videogame that isn´t even worth it in the end.
honestly, i wish everyone good fun with it, i just could not unsee the barrage of problems this game has and it is cool that there are people who still enjoy the game despite the minefield of bugs, glitches and logic problems, more power to them.
edit: and sorry to Mandalorian, didn´t wanted to call you out in this way, i was just stunned that you aren´t even in the (admittedly barebones) postgame despite claiming this game to be a really great one.
Last edited:
The future of this game just has so much going against it. CD being a relatively new developer when it comes to making big multiplayer service games, Square being the publisher and having a history of leaving their western games to die, the amount of money poured into this project already indicating that it might not be worth it to continue if initial sales are poor as it seems, development progress being stifled by remote work, the need to actually make the game functional on top of having to add tons of content and quality of life improvements that weren't necessarily part of their planned content roadmap, and the looming presence of several games both service based and narrative focused looming on the horizon that could further dry up the player base. That's just the stuff I could think of off the top of my head.
That Kate Bishop trailer made a player like me, someone who just wants to see an ongoing story, pretty excited. I honestly wasn't expecting fully featured story moments and characters to drop as soon as they are indicating. But with how much work they have ahead of them, I can see their planned content being pushed back.
That Kate Bishop trailer made a player like me, someone who just wants to see an ongoing story, pretty excited. I honestly wasn't expecting fully featured story moments and characters to drop as soon as they are indicating. But with how much work they have ahead of them, I can see their planned content being pushed back.
I'm having a very very difficult time connecting with the game. It feels like a chore to play. I want to see how the campaign plays out but it feels like I'm constantly fighting the controls during battle or I'm in menu after menu after menu.
I want to have fun with the game but it hasn't happened yet.
I want to have fun with the game but it hasn't happened yet.
Campaign wise you can safely minimize your menu time by just using Left Trigger to auto-equip highest level gear. Loadouts really don't matter in the campaign.
I would also recommend setting the combat camera to "wide" or whatever it's called and turn off camera auto follow. Combat feels so much better after doing that.
This says a couple of things. Either people the beta scared people off, or people were already out on this game after it's first reveal. There were no reviews until the game actually launched, so that can only affect so many people. I would not be surprised at a mix of both. This game was trending after it's initial appearance at E3, but it was literally only people roasting the fuck out of it for looking like "Dollar Store Avengers" or other variations on the joke.
Six million people tried the game as a beta though, which is...decent but not great numbers. The A-Day thing lasts 40 minutes or so and likely turned a ton of players off because it's not very good, and even leads people who didn't finish the beta to come with the misinformed opinion that "the game is on-rails", something I saw a (bad) games mention about the game in passing before not even discussing the game in detail.
In other words, this could have been a polished experience and it wouldn't have mattered. People checked out after the initial reveal.
I think if the game had come out and been incredibly polished then more people would have jumped on it.
The beta did not impress me AT ALL, and I was still willing to get it after hearing the campaign was really good, but the amount of bugs and general issues with the game has made me hold off until those are gone (which probably won't be for a month or two at least, game development takes time, fixing one bug can cause other issues that need fixing, etc).
Word of mouth can be a powerful seller of games, but when the word of mouth is "the game is really fun!... but the game crashed on me a bunch, or some skins I unlocked disappeared, or I fell through the floor", then people aren't going to jump in immediately.
A bunch of people tried the beta and were likely turned off by it, because it sucked. The game just isn't any fun, and if you can't make 40 minutes of tailor-made setpiece fun in a demo, then there's no fucking way that the full product which is asking for dozens of hours of the player's time will be worth it.
I don't want the devs to be negatively impacted by low sales numbers but I simultaneously hope the game sells poorly so publishers stop making shallow GaaSbag looters with aggressive monetization schemes that were clearly put in place before they had created an actual videogame that people would want to play. I don't care if the combat really opens up after 20 hours into each character's progression if it sucks to play all the way until then. Bland enemy design, copy paste levels in copy paste environments, glitches out the ass... Make a game first, then try to wring the cash from our wallets.
I don't want the devs to be negatively impacted by low sales numbers but I simultaneously hope the game sells poorly so publishers stop making shallow GaaSbag looters with aggressive monetization schemes that were clearly put in place before they had created an actual videogame that people would want to play. I don't care if the combat really opens up after 20 hours into each character's progression if it sucks to play all the way until then. Bland enemy design, copy paste levels in copy paste environments, glitches out the ass... Make a game first, then try to wring the cash from our wallets.
It got hit with the 3 GAAS launch killers
1) Buggy as shit/ matchmaking issues (Take your pick)
2) Weak loot system (Ghost Recon Breakpoint)
3) Lack of variety in endgame content (Anthem)
The Marvel name, and fun combat are going to have to carry the game HARD for a while
1) Buggy as shit/ matchmaking issues (Take your pick)
2) Weak loot system (Ghost Recon Breakpoint)
3) Lack of variety in endgame content (Anthem)
The Marvel name, and fun combat are going to have to carry the game HARD for a while
the combat won't be enough in the short term
they are gonna need to add content quickly and hope they can keep the game afloat in the meantime while they iron out the immeasurable laundry list of bugs and glitches that need addressing. Every day I play gets worse and worse with the bugs and the glitches. And I am quickly finding out that the endgame is a thin veil of the same crap. This game was rushed and could've used another 6 months to a year of fine-tuning.
After roughly 30 hours give or take (finished the campaign, got Hulk to level 50 without grinding, all other heroes around lvl 20) I'm just incredibly dissappointed and I think this game will fizzle out in the next couple of months. There is a foundation that seems to be very good, but this game is such a mess balancing wise on every front, the loot is boring as hell, there is no mission variety to be seen and it has like 4 areas where stuff takes place and everything looks the same.
Everything post game was a borefest and the storybeats after the campaign are half assed at best. It's just not a compelling game to play after the campaign has ended.
The best part is, that all this would've been so easy to get right. Drop the destiny-type loot shit, make it a fun SP campaign with a seperate Coop Mode with different settings and missiontypes a la Horde. Update it regularly. Bam.
No meaningless RPG lite bullshit that is always hard to balance, no gear, no skilltrees (that are pretty useless anyway since they offer not much variety in builds)
Agh. I'm incredibly sad. This could've been something special.
Everything post game was a borefest and the storybeats after the campaign are half assed at best. It's just not a compelling game to play after the campaign has ended.
The best part is, that all this would've been so easy to get right. Drop the destiny-type loot shit, make it a fun SP campaign with a seperate Coop Mode with different settings and missiontypes a la Horde. Update it regularly. Bam.
No meaningless RPG lite bullshit that is always hard to balance, no gear, no skilltrees (that are pretty useless anyway since they offer not much variety in builds)
Agh. I'm incredibly sad. This could've been something special.
Yeah it's really bad, Anthem also had a great base with it's gameplay, and it sunk almost instantly. The Marvel name recognition might help them pull in new people at least (for some time), but they have a very short window to rescue the game before it's weak postgame Word of Mouth catches up to it.
The problem is that instead of making and marketing it as an Avengers game with GaaS elements, they marketed it as a GaaS title themed with Avengers. I've never seen a game with its microtransactions and loot so aggressively in your face at every moment in the marketing
the whole game is a fucking mess
the combat is decent but everything else is mediocre to awful.
the character designs and grapgics are shit and the devs went "you guys just expect MCU lookalikes! this is our own thing" the actors in the MCU are mostly cast because they look like the comic characters and it's laughable that the devs are trying to make it look like this game isn't riding off the MCU's success
the most generic cast possible, aside from Kamala, everyone sounded like they just wanted a paycheck and hearing Nolan North come out Tony's mouth still sucks.
the loot shit that doesn't even change how your character looks.
God, it's as if like this is the monument to all boting AAA tropes
the combat is decent but everything else is mediocre to awful.
the character designs and grapgics are shit and the devs went "you guys just expect MCU lookalikes! this is our own thing" the actors in the MCU are mostly cast because they look like the comic characters and it's laughable that the devs are trying to make it look like this game isn't riding off the MCU's success
the most generic cast possible, aside from Kamala, everyone sounded like they just wanted a paycheck and hearing Nolan North come out Tony's mouth still sucks.
the loot shit that doesn't even change how your character looks.
God, it's as if like this is the monument to all boting AAA tropes
I'm now 100 hours in, and I've only been focusing on 2 characters. I knew exactly what I was in for and I'm enjoying it. Can't wait for the archers, I'm ready.
It takes time especially with Marvel process of approving things. It will come especially as a GaaS and the main way they'll fund the updates, and make money. The free costumes are plentiful and the best looking ones (detail) are the ones you unlock near the end based on story.
I swear to god if SE pulls the plug early, and I get two fucking hawkeyes, but no Scarlet Witch or Doctor Strange....
Yeah that too, Task and Abomination runs for Avengers Initiative is cool and tough at the highest level/difficulty (I like Warbot too, it's easier though), but I do wish there was more at the base game. I look forward to what they do next. I wish they could have a MODOK clone to fight, maybe that's coming in some kind of dream HARM scenario raid. That last fight had raid fight written all over it.
The chances of that is super slim, Marvel Heroes survived it's horrible launch and became amazing, this game has a way bigger budget and a bigger plan. This should be called Early Access launch, they had to get it out I'm sure. SE was more likely to give up on FFXIV. At worst we'll get a reboot, the base game is great, it just need some optimizations, the ability to skip intros and ship chatter to hurry up and get in the mission, and new settings/maps.
Yeah I'm not worried about dropped support. The game seems to have launched well enough sales wise when you add the pull of the Avengers' name and subtract the mixed reception. That's well before the holiday season and next gen releases, which those things combined have the potential to be huge for this game.
Even if the game's launch was weaker than expected, which it's honestly kinda hard to tell what they expected right now considering the state of it and such, it really just needs to be cleaned up in some spots and bring the content it's promising to. It can live a healthy life with long legs.
Even if the game's launch was weaker than expected, which it's honestly kinda hard to tell what they expected right now considering the state of it and such, it really just needs to be cleaned up in some spots and bring the content it's promising to. It can live a healthy life with long legs.
I think the game -- much like the movies -- will do fine because a lot of fuel behind the Marvel media is, "Hey look! It's that character!" It doesn't have to be great; the properties have enough gravity now to suck people in regardless.
How do you square that view up with the seemingly terrible sales?
The thing with these games (GaaS) is they're not done advertising after the normal launch. Each new content drop will steadily get more and more attention as time goes on. After the normal content drops they might do some big expansion content drop, let's say Avengers vs X-Men (dream), then it's in the news big time again (much like Marvel Heroes 2015, changing it's name adding in the 2015 getting new reviews and everything).
Could it be fixed ? maybe but not sure it will be, unless they put in a hell of an effort to add new and unique content, not just add new characters and copy and paste the same repetitive mission types over and over again.
It just needs more content/variety and a rebalance on enemies. Sometimes I feel like I'm as powerful as the character should be and then other times I get one shot from the other side of the map without a way to avoid it. It really reminds me of when Destiny launched and I was just starved for more content.
You're right, but they have so much stuff they have to unfuck first, its a very tricky balancing act of patching critical errors, reworking bad design, all while releasing new content. I hope they have some good people steering the ship, but the fact that the game was released in this state at all makes me skeptical.
The other side of the map thing... Are you taking modifiers into account and using gear that has anti whatever energy perks?
Yeah, I'm sure they have a ton of people working on many different things, just like Marvel Heroes would. This game was wildly more complicated than a lot of GaaS games. The story mode was pretty crazy, and awesome to me. Then they have the Avengers Initiative side, and 6 characters that feel well balanced and unique. This is a great foundation, but yes, the glitches are crazy, and online (I haven't tried online group playing ever) seem bad.
I loved how the Marvel Heroes, Warframe, Epic's Paragon, Path of Exile, etc. communicate with their communities, and and give insight on what goes on, the process, and why things couldn't be fixed, or new content couldn't be pushed out as fast as we would like. Years of these games made me come to know what to expect and how to play them.
My advice to anyone wanting to play a new game like thee are to wait, see how it looks and plays online, decide if it's something you're into, if the glitches and bugs are something you'd be ok with dealing with or waiting for it all to be resolved, then choose.
Right now I'm reaping the benefits of getting in early. I know what my focus should be, and I'm going at it to be able to coast smoothly as new content is released. I'm already ready to get the free challenge cards for Kate Bishop, I have a ton of mats to upgrade her max gear comfortably if she's good, and I'm having a good time doing accumulating the resources.
Would be easier to just balance ranged attacks, as they hit too hard anyway. The torpedo modifier should be what normal damage is.
Are they "terrible" or are they mediocre?
I'm not surprised it's falling off quick, it's a mess of epic proportions
It's genuinely shocking how they managed to drop the ball on stuff that should be somewhat easy wins. Yeah, marvel is probably extremely precious about their IP, but filling the game with high quality skins would also push people to buy the game and spend additional dollars on it. I think there are about 8 Iron Man suits if you don't count all the recolors.
I played a couple of missions and had a lot of fun. Game is fine and whatever rough edges there might be can be fixed.
I'm more wary of Disney pulling the plug on the live service tbh
I'm more wary of Disney pulling the plug on the live service tbh
I'm just speaking about how the missile type of projectile can literally follow you around the map. If you're knee deep in a combo on an enemy it seems to stun you to a point where the enemy recovers and then beats you before you can even get up.
No one actually knows yet. In fact the only hard numbers we have lead us to think it's doing good. Only thing we know is that it's doing solid in the UK (topped the charts and had a normal drop the next week, with digital not included In which the digital share is estimated at huge 70%), and topped the charts in France.
Anything else is people just playing detective with what data numbers they can find and shit. Many people seem very eager to try to write this off as a bomba. But then again what else is new era.
Eh, it's hard for me to put that on Marvel given the costumes available at launch in something like Spider-Man.
And it stands out more in a GaaS title where customizing your character is one of the most important aspects. At launch, this game should have had multiple alternate costumes pulled directly from the comics and other Marvel media.
There's so much going on, and a ton of costumes and colors. They have to also approve reskins and recolors (Marvel vs Capcom 3), but that is faster than having to get new skins and animations approved). With alternate costumes for one character vs 6 it would be easier, and not all of them are available (added to the the store in rotations).