Pokemon Go Creator Cancels New Marvel Game Amid Layoffs

Niantic, the creator of Pokemon Go, has canceled an in-development Marvel game called Marvel World of Heroes. First announced in September 2022, Marvel World of Heroes was meant to leverage Niantic’s experience in the field of augmented reality games like Pokemon Go by allowing players to “interact” with Marvel heroes like Captain America, Spider-Man, and more via hero avatars that players created themselves. The decision to end development on this game was announced on Thursday alongside other organizational changes including the end of another game, NBA All-World, the closure of a studio, and over 200 layoffs.

John Hanke, the CEO of Niantic, penned an email to employees which was shared publicly on Thursday. Citing shifts in the mobile games market and a desire to narrow Niantic’s focus to first-part games and games geared towards emerging mixed reality and augmented reality devices, Hanke told Niantic employees and now everyone else of the following changes.

“Specifically, this means we will be closing our LA studio, reducing our game platform team and making additional reductions across the company,” Hanke said. “As a result, we will be sunsetting NBA All-World and stopping production on Marvel: World of Heroes. This means we are laying off around 230 Niantics.”

Hanke laid out a couple of reasons why this is happening. Factors like mobile games being a “tough market” right now were put forth, and though revenue surged during Covid shutdowns and Niantic grew its workforce and ambitions accordingly, Hanke said, but when revenue returned to more normal levels, those projects Niantic took on didn’t perform as well as expected. Hanke also said Niantic’s mobile platform has not met its goals in terms of things like social engagement, monetization, and tools called for to reach those goals.

Moving forward, Hanke said the primary focus will remain on Pokemon Go. He said Niantic has “a lot of work to do” but added that he remained confident about other games like Pikmin Bloom, Peridot and Monster Hunter Now.

Marvel World of Heroes looked to lean into the multiverse trend upon release and was supposed to come out some time in 2023. It’s been in beta in certain regions during a soft launch but was not widely available prior to its cancelation.

“Become a Marvel Super Hero in the real world,” a preview of the now defunct Marvel game read. “Create your own hero, patrol your neighborhood to foil crimes, and team up with your friends as well as iconic Marvel heroes such as Spider-Man, Captain America, and Wolverine to save the Multiverse!”