Can DC's Single-Player Game Keep Up with Marvel's Dominance?
DC must step up their game at Summer Game Fest to compete with Marvel's popular AAA games Their only announced single-player game may not be enough to keep up with the competition Fans are eagerly awaiting more exciting announcements from DC
DC games have faced challenges in appealing to fans, with some failing to meet expectations and others still in development without anything to excite fans. However, there is hope that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could be the game that changes this trend for Rocksteady's fanbase. It remains to be seen if the studio will rise to the occasion, but the game is not likely to be in the spotlight until closer to 2024. Meanwhile, the upcoming Summer Game Fest, hosted by Geoff Keighley, is just a few weeks away.
Games revolving around the Batman mythology, such as Gotham Knights, have not been received well by fans and may be setting themselves up for future disappointment. Despite this, DC may have one special title up its sleeve. Monolith's Wonder Woman, previously announced at The Game Awards 2021, cannot afford to be overlooked as Marvel games enjoy their own success. It is unclear if James Gunn's DCU plans will have an impact on future DC games, but the potential for success remains.
Monolith’s Wonder Woman Needs to Take the Stage at Summer Game Fest
Marvel's domination in AAA gaming shows no signs of slowing down as they have several highly-anticipated projects in the works, including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Marvel’s Wolverine, Skydance’s Marvel game, EA Motive’s Iron Man, and two other EA and Marvel collaborations. As these games are expected to be hugely successful, it's clear that the demand for more Marvel games will only continue to grow.
On the other hand, DC's recent games have been met with less enthusiasm. While DC has the potential to create incredible superhero experiences, it seems that Marvel has taken the lead in single-player action-adventure games, a genre which DC helped to establish with the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series developed by Rocksteady.
However, DC has had its own missteps in the gaming industry, most notably with the lackluster reception of Marvel's Avengers. The trend of live-service multiplayer games in the superhero genre is no longer as popular, and DC needs to pivot back to single-player action-adventure games. Luckily, Monolith is already working on a game featuring Wonder Woman as the protagonist, which could be a game-changer for the company. By separating itself from the Batman franchise and focusing on one of its other beloved characters, DC has a chance to win back fans and keep up with the successes of its movies and other properties. Therefore, showcasing the upcoming Wonder Woman game at events like Summer Game Fest could be a great way for DC to stay relevant and remind fans of its potential in the gaming sphere.
Indeed, DC currently has no other single-player game announced. However, this is expected to change soon given the lukewarm reception of its recent co-op play attempts among fans. With luck, Wonder Woman will not be the only single-player game to be revealed in the near future, which could give DC an advantage over its competitors.
While it is possible that Wonder Woman may be reserved for a reveal at a DC FanDome event this summer, unveiling it at Summer Game Fest would be a smart move to prevent Marvel from stealing all the attention. In any case, DC is in desperate need of a victory and hopefully, Wonder Woman will be the DC game that fans have been eagerly anticipating since the release of Batman: Arkham Knight.
Wonder Woman is currently in development.
