On February 16, Crystal Dynamics will release its next War Table video for Marvel’s Avengers, outlining Hawkeye-related content plans and the first details about the long-awaited PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S upgrades. The next-gen upgrades were originally scheduled to arrive late last year, but Crystal Dynamics delayed those plans in October.
Marvel’s Avengers has struggled mightily since its launch last September. Though players generally enjoyed the story campaign, the live-service aspect fell flat due to a dearth of post-game content. As a consequence, the player-count dropped drastically in the weeks following release; Crystal Dynamics’ shifting post-launch schedule only exacerbated the situation. The advent of Kate Bishop and her Taking Aim story arc appeared to inject a bit of liveliness into the experience, but there’s still a long road ahead in terms of turning Marvel’s Avengers around.
Crystal Dynamics will share a clearer look at its plans to right the course next month. On February 16, the studio intends to publish a new War Table video to showcase Operation: Hawkeye – Future Imperfect, as well as next-gen upgrades for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. A post on the Marvel’s Avengers Twitter page specifically bills the upcoming War Table as a Hawkeye-centric “Deep Dive.” Details about Hawkeye’s role in this version of the Marvel Universe should, thus, become more apparent in the coming weeks.
The Hawkeye content is of special interest, considering its eventual release will mark the first major content drop since Kate Bishop’s arc went live in December. Should the Clint Barton-helmed roll out prove a robust enough experience, it could lay the groundwork for Marvel’s Avengers finally picking up steam. Of course, next-gen upgrades for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S could similarly give the live-service title a new lease on life.
Whether or not that will be enough to save the game remains to be seen. Publisher Square Enix could take a note from Ubisoft’s book and significantly reduce the price ahead of Operation Hawkeye’s release. For context, The Division 2’s price dropped to a paltry $3 last spring in the lead up to Warlords of New York’s arrival. The incredible losses Square Enix sustained due to Marvel’s Avengers‘ disappointing sales could deter the publisher from considering such a drastic move, however.
Marvel’s Avengers is out now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One platforms.
