Marvel Want More Involvment in Their Games

[Young Avenger]

http://www.developmag.com/news/28875/Marvel-to-step-up-game-development-focus

SPECIAL REPORT: Sources tell Develop that comic book giant is considering direct relationships with game studios for new titles

Marvel Entertainment is exploring ways it can get closer with game developers according to several senior game development execs.

Currently, the firm enjoys a number of lucrative partnerships with major publishers such as Activision, EA and Sega for game adaptations and spin-offs of upcoming Marvel character-based movies. It has a long-term deal for Spider-Man in place with Activision and earlier this year licensed a number of characters - including Captain America, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and Thor - to Sega.

However, multiple independent sources have reported to Develop that the company has privately expressed desire to some partners that it wishes to get much more involved in the games development process.

Although a major force in terms of licensing its properties to third-parties, Marvel has prior precedent in 'seizing its destiny' to control how owned material is transferred to other mediums; it opened the Marvel Studios film division in 2004 to directly manage the writing and production of films based on its characters, following the mixed fortunes of its properties when handled by Hollywood studios. Its first films, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man, appear next year accompanied by Sega's tie-ins.

Marvel certainly has the talent in-house to start replicating its Marvel Studios strategy in games development when it possibly looking at projects for the following year; a few months ago it appointed former journalist turned Sega and LucasArts exec Justin Lambros as VP of interactive at Marvel Studios and executive producer in forthcoming Marvel-based video games.

Plus, a recent job posting at Monster.com says the company is seeking a CFO-like figure with experience in "the management of content development and/or interactive publishing business" and "interactive or online casual gaming planning and deployment" to help further define Marvel's interactive strategy.

[Theseeus]

Well that's good, if more movie/book/comicbook companies/people took more notice of how their IP as being treated by the media, movie and game adaptations might not have the reputation they have for being so terrible.

[Sonicjuce]

I think it would be great if we got a Spider-Man game based around the 616 comic. Ultimate was good but I think they could do a great Amazing game.

[Agent Helix]

That's all well and good, but Marvel needs to stay the hell away from Ultimate Destruction 2 (if it's underway at all, I know that development team is currently working on Prototype), because the first game was perfect.

[Kid Kamikaze10]

Though this is a good idea, they should be thankful for the involvement they already HAVE.

DC practically has no say on any part of the creative process (or alot less than Marvel does). It's mostly WB, and this goes for movies, t.v, etc.

[Kevinroc]

It's a shame Capcom doesn't have the Marvel license anymore. The Marvel vs. Capcom series rocked.

[Quilt]

Oh to have Marvel vs. Capcom again. *sigh* Anyways, I think this is amazing news. Good comic-based games (or any other media-based games for that matter) are so rare. We'll see what happens when Marvels first films come out, but if this whole quality control stint works out then we could see Marvel turning into a giant media monster. It could mean a lot of really great stuff from Marvel.

As for DC...it's so sad whenever I think about their connection to Time Warner. The wonderful things they should be able to do never happen.

[Sanagi]

What Marvel should do is license their properties to better developers, and then get out of the way.

Crazy, I know, but it seems to work.

[Dr. Banner]

DC practically has no say on any part of the creative process (or alot less than Marvel does). It's mostly WB, and this goes for movies, t.v, etc.

And lately, it REALLY shows.