James Gunn Open to Marvel Rivals-Like Game with DC Characters

James Gunn isn’t ruling out a DC version of Marvel Rivals. The video game space is always chasing some kind of trend, it seems. Sometimes, due to how long it takes to actually make a game, these things end up missing the punch. Concord is a prime example of a game that spent too long in the oven and ended up missing the boat on the kind of game it was trying to compete with, for example. Live service hero shooters seem to be generally a genre that has been run into the ground and there are a few games that have sort of defined the space, making it hard for new games to compete… but you throw in some well-known superheroes and you might have a chance.

At the end of 2024, Marvel Rivals debuted and was immediately one of the biggest games on the planet. It has completely exploded and even dethroned games like Overwatch 2. Of course, it has some of the most famous characters on the planet so that gives it a big boost, but if it wasn’t really fun, it probably would’ve fallen off pretty quickly. Marvel Rivals has only continued to grow and sustain itself thanks to a healthy player base. Just recently, Marvel Rivals added The Thing and the Human Torch to round out the Fantastic Four as the game’s first post-launch heroes, which has been received quite well. Many have been wondering if DC will attempt to rival (get it?) this with its own hero shooter.

DC Is Open to a Marvel Rivals Competitor

DC hasn’t said a peep about it, however… until now. When speaking to press at a recent DC Studios event attended by ComicBook, James Gunn was asked about whether or not we can expect a DC version of Marvel Rivals. Gunn simply said: “Totally possible, I’d be open to it.” It sounds like there isn’t anything in the works right now, but he’d be interested in hearing a pitch from a developer if there was one. Of course, even if something got greenlit today, it would still be years before it actually saw the light of day.

It’s likely a DC game in the vein of Marvel Rivals may be out of the question, as it would be a bit too late even a year or two from now. However, some said the same thing about Marvel Rivals. It felt like an idea that would’ve made more sense five years ago, but it’s been nothing but successful. If the game is good enough and unique enough, it’s possible a DC hero shooter could be viable. It can’t just be a rip-off, it has to stand out enough from Rivals and find its own identity that can make it a worthy competitor. DC has managed to have lots of success with single player games like the Batman Arkham series, but rarely ever online titles.

While not exactly the same thing, there was a game in the early 2010s for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC called Gotham City Impostors. It was closer to something like Team Fortress 2 and saw a team of Batman-esque imposters going up against a gang of Joker goons in a whacky shooter. It was certainly different from other games at its time, but it wasn’t overly impressive and therefore didn’t land with players. Perhaps what DC’s looking for isn’t something like Overwatch with DC characters, but some other way to allow players to team up as their favorite DC heroes and pit them against a team of iconic DC villains. The roster is certainly there, it’s just up to a developer to crack the code.

DC has been an IP that has welcomed unique gaming ideas with the Injustice series, so it definitely seems like the best ideas usually win. Only time will tell if DC cracks the code and finds its own answer to Marvel Rivals, but either way, it probably won’t see the light of day for years.

Do you want to see a DC version of Marvel Rivals? Let me know in the comments!