The 2022 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Ongoing Game

By Christian Hoffer

Ongoing games continue to shape the video game industry in 2022. While ongoing games aren't exactly a new genre (World of Warcraft says hello!), more video game publishers have learned that providing ongoing support to games keeps players coming back. While this is a profitable venture for publishers, it also provides a virtual space that players can return to for years at a time. Some games offer a lifestyle experience such as Fortnite, whose gameplay hasn't shifted that much but has grown into one of the only viable "metaverse" spaces with its constant collaborations, while other games continue to shift and challenge players with new features and additions. 

This year's Best Ongoing Game nominees contain a number of a familiar games. In addition to the ever-popular Fortnite, the fantasy games Genshin Impact and Final Fantasy XIV continue to bring players back with new content and expansions. Destiny 2 also continues to innovate, adding new expansions and continuing a storyline that has lasted for years. There can be only one winner, and it's a bit of a surprise as it's a latecomer to the scene.

And the winner of the 2022 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Ongoing Game is...

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Marvel SNAP!

Marvel Snap is the new mobile and Steam game taking both comic book fans and non-comic book fans by storm. This is a fast-paced card game that pits players against each other for control of three distinct locations. Each player has a deck of 12 cards and matches only last 6 rounds, so players will need to come up with potent combos that work in a short period of time. 

Marvel Snap is an ongoing game because it introduces a handful of new cards each month, which are usually themed around a new Season Pass. Since the game launched in October, we've had three "seasons," each of which has introduced one or more new cards. Players automatically receive the card if they pay for the Season Pass, but they can also get the card for free provided they grind enough. Each Season also adds new locations that are incorporated into the game and add new challenges and new wrinkles to card strategies. 

One of the best part about Marvel Snap is how every new card instantly becomes meta-relevant. Some of the best decks in the game are made up of cards that were only introduced a month or two ago, and they often sync up with unexpected cards. Last month's Black Panther card became the foundation for a potent deck that utilizes Wong and Armin Zola to all but guarantee victory if a player can pull off a specific card combo successfully. Decks utilizing Silver Surfer, this month's signature card, has also been popping up more and more in decks. 

Each season of Marvel Snap brings more and more surprises and the game specifically encourages players to try different decks. By the time next year's Golden Issue Awards are awarded, it's likely that Marvel Snap's best decks will be totally different from this year's dominant decks, which makes this game a truly ongoing experience.

This year's Best Ongoing Game nominees are:

  • Destiny 2
  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • Fortnite
  • Genshin Impact
  • Marvel Snap – WINNER

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