As is typical now for Marvel’s Avengers, in addition to revealing the best look yet at Iron Man, the video game from developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix has also shared the inspiration for the design of the character. As with other characters, their take on Iron Man gathers all the basic components from other media and then synthesizes it all together — with some new additions specifically for the video game.
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While there’s all the usual suspects when it comes to design inspirations, the official Twitter account for Marvel’s Avengers today revealed that it’s specifically taking cues from Italian motorcycles and cars. Even better? The concept designer assigned to Iron Man’s armor had a background in industrial design. It just seems right that someone familiar with designing vehicles would then go on to design Iron Man’s armor in the game; if Tony Stark were real, he might even approve.
In Marvel’s Avengers, @CrystalDynamics spent a tremendous amount of time & iteration designing the Iron Man armor. For his iconic armor, they were inspired by Italian motorcycles & supercars, which combine machinery & sleek housing.
— Marvel’s Avengers (@PlayAvengers) September 16, 2019
A concept designer with extensive experience in industrial design was assigned to create his iconic armor. Using his experience designing vehicles was crucial in shaping the parts and function of the armor.
— Marvel’s Avengers (@PlayAvengers) September 16, 2019
The team spent a considerable amount of time on the rear design of Iron Man as well, because that is what is most visible when playing the game.
— Marvel’s Avengers (@PlayAvengers) September 16, 2019
The red and gold graphic breakup was a learning process, and Crystal Dynamics designed many concepts based on historical Iron Man designs to come up with the best balance. They reduced the size of the traditional gold regions of the armor, and distributed the red more evenly.
— Marvel’s Avengers (@PlayAvengers) September 16, 2019
What do you think of Iron Man’s armor taking inspiration from cars and industrial design? Are you excited to play the character in the game? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!
Here’s how Square Enix described Marvel’s Avengers in a previous press release:
“Marvel’s Avengers begins at A-Day, where Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor are unveiling a hi-tech Avengers Headquarters in San Francisco — including the reveal of their own helicarrier powered by an experimental energy source. The celebration turns deadly when a catastrophic accident results in massive devastation. Blamed for the tragedy, the Avengers disband. Five years later, with all Super Heroes outlawed and the world in peril, the only hope is to reassemble Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.”
Marvel’s Avengers, from publisher Square Enix and developer Crystal Dynamics, is scheduled to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia on May 15, 2020. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the Marvel-branded title right here.
