Marvel's Avengers Won't Have Much "Iconic Fan Service"

Don't expect a lot of fan service from Marvel's Avengers when it releases next year via the PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia, at least fan service of the "iconic" variety. According to Crystal Dynamics -- the developer of the game, who you may recognize from the Tomb Raider series -- Marvel isn't forcing any fan service into the game, and is rather letting the studio create the original game it wants. Further, Crystal Dynamics' Scott Amos notes that Marvel has been a crucial resource to the team, especially when it comes to being a encyclopedia about all things Avengers.

"Marvel showed up and said, 'What do you want to do?'," said Amos. "That's how it started. They really looked at us and said, 'Crystal, you guys are experts at making games, we're experts at The Avengers. What do you want to do? What's the original take you want to do on visuals, on story?' But they are true north. We work with Bill Rosemann, their VP of creative, and ask whether Tony [Stark] would say this or not, would Hulk do this particular move or not, does this gear make sense?

"Bill is 25 years at Marvel. He knows everybody. We're like, 'So we have a character, and this storyline we saw in issue x,' and he's like, 'I can get you the writer, let's go see what that person thinks'... We have this amazing collaboration with them that lets us do a little of the iconic fan service and a lot of doing an original take that makes it feel fresh and familiar."

Now, it's unclear what the difference between iconic fan service and normal fan service is. The former seems to suggest the bigger, more obvious fan service-type stuff, which apparently won't be in the game. Meanwhile, it does sound like there will be some fan service in the game. I mean, why else would they include lesser known Marvel characters if not to appease the more hardcore fans?

That all said, like it or not, fan service is in a lot of popular franchises these days because it tends to work, especially for properties as big as Marvel. However, an original Avengers story does sound better than one we've already heard, so in that sense this is great to hear. But, hopefully it stays grounded and even rooted with some fan service.

Marvel's Avengers will be available for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia when it releases next year on May 15, priced at $60. At the moment of publishing, there's been no word of a Nintendo Switch port.

For more news, media, and information on the single-player narrative-driven game meets co-op live-service title, be sure to peep all of our previous coverage of Marvel's Avengers by clicking right here.

Thanks, GamesIndustry.