Last November, EG7 announced Daybreak Games was working on anMMO set in theMarveluniverse. Daybreak has experience developing free-to-play MMOs likePlanetSide 2andEverquest 2, and showed its potential with comic book brands throughDC Universe Online. Little was known about what itsMarvel MMOwould look like, but people were excited given Marvel is currently one of the most popular, and profitable, IPs out there. However, EG7 recently confirmed that the project has been shelved in favor of the other titles.
In the past couple of days, screenshots have emerged showcasing what players could haveexpected from the Marvel MMO. Little is known about the gameplay or story that players would have gotten, but character creation looked promising. The art style was inspired bySpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verseand would have let Marvel fans create their own hero. IfDC Universe Onlineis anything to go by, the game could have had a ton of potential if it saw the light of day.
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DC Universe Online as a Framework
DC Universe Onlinelaunched in 2011, developed by Dimensional Ink Games alongside Daybreak Games. The game is a free-to-play MMO that is still going strong, having just released Episode 43 in its expansive story. It brings players to a universe inspired by DC Comics, where they can do battle alongside some of its most iconic heroes. The title offers almost everything a DC Comics fan needs to embark on their own superhero adventure, and Daybreak’s Marvel MMO undoubtedly would have taken notes.
DC Universe Onlinelets players create their own personal hero or villain with the typical customization options like body type, hair, and clothes. Since it is a superhero game, players are also able to select their movement mode, weapon of choice, and superpower. Movement modes include flight, acrobatics, and super-speed, while the superpowers include fire, ice, nature, atomic, water, and more. Once players are happy with their character and give them a name, they enter auniverse filled with DC Comics fundamentals.
The gameplay ofDC Universe Onlineis similar to other MMOs, having players embark on missions to gain XP and level up. They will do battle alongside characters like Batman and Superman while trying to reach max level. Once they hit level cap, they can begin the endgame grind of completing dailies and raids.DC Universe Onlinealso has many seasonal events, and is constantly getting new missions and story content.
Along their journey inDC Universe Online, players will explore iconic locales like Gotham City, Metropolis, Central City, and even multiple Earths. They willencounter characters like Superman, Batman, Flash, Joker, Harley Quinn, and Wonder Woman as they progress through the story, and it features crossover content with theArrowverseshows that let players fight alongside characters fromLegends of Tomorrow. They can also complete storylines based on the DCEU and animated content likeTeen Titans: The Judas Contract.
The story ofDC Universe Onlineis ongoing and filled with DC Comics lore. The base story sees the player assist either theJustice League or The Society in stopping Braniac, as well as a giant war between the heroes and villains. The story can be confusing thanks to time-travel and multiverse shenanigans, which is common for comic book storylines. After the end of the base story, players are able to complete 43 different episodes that continue the story for a small fee.
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The Marvel MMO Could Have Been Just As Good
The canceled Marvel MMO had a ton of potentialthat will never see the light of day. It could have been just as fun asDC Universe Online, or it could have rivaled the older game with modern mechanics and graphics. The Marvel IP shows no signs of slowing down, and if the released screenshots are anything to go by, Daybreak’s MMO may have been the exact type of thing that Marvel fans enjoyed.
Daybreak’sMarvel MMO character creation screenshotsshow players would have selected the costume, face structure, gender, and body type of their heroes. Players would then be able to select what superpower they wanted, though only electricity is pictured. They would have been given a choice to join the X-Men, Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., or The Fantastic Four, which is far more than theDC Universe Onlinechoice of just hero or villain. The actual impact these alliances would have made on gameplay is unknown.
The character creator looks like it gave players a lot of control over their own superhero journey, which is something a lot of Marvel fans want. The story could have involved iconic heroes like Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Wolverine, and Nick Fury. Thevillains could have included Thanos, Galactus, Kang the Conqueror, or even Doctor Doom; with similar multiverse or time-travel stories asDC Universe Onlineto create crossovers with the MCU.
DC Universe Onlinegave DC fansthe opportunity to tell their own superhero story in the DC Comics canon, and Daybreak’s Marvel MMO could have done the same. However,Marvelfans will never know unless Daybreak starts development again. Instead, they’ll be left to hypothesize what could have been while waiting for more contained titles likeMarvel’s Spider-Man 2orMarvel’s Wolverine.
