Over the years, Marvel has explored a wide array of gaming genres and styles. From the expansive worlds of open-world action-adventures to the strategic depths of turn-based games with a mystical touch, they’ve delved into co-op live-service experiences and even ventured into virtual reality. It’s clear that Marvel aims to cater to diverse tastes and audiences through their varied game offerings.
Looking at the past couple of decades, however, Marvel’s gaming endeavors have mostly revolved around third-person action games with a Teen ESRB rating or lower. While these games often touch on more profound themes and deliver plenty of high-stakes drama, they tend to lean towards a lighter tone. Of course, this is in line with Marvel’s well-known brand, but it could be intriguing to see them dive into darker, more mature subject matter every now and then. For instance, exploring a horror genre might be an exciting avenue for Marvel, and it could be a fitting new direction to take them into next year.
The comic series Marvel Zombies offers a rich source of inspiration. In November 2005, a story arc from Ultimate Fantastic Four, aptly named “Crossover,” reached its boiling point. Reed Richards finds himself engaged with another version of himself from a parallel universe, ultimately stepping into a realm inhabited by zombified Marvel heroes and villains. This crossover acted as an unofficial introduction to the Marvel Zombies series, which launched a month later.
The initial Marvel Zombies series, penned by Robert Kirkman of The Walking Dead fame and illustrated by Sean Phillips, was a five-issue series spanning from December 2005 to April 2007. The series took place in an alternate reality, Earth-2149, where a virus had transformed Earth’s mightiest into brain-hungry zombies. Unlike traditional zombie lore, these creatures retained most of their mental faculties and powers, presenting a chilling exploration of what these characters might do when driven by unquenchable hunger.
Since its debut, Marvel Zombies has expanded substantially, spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs. The latest installment, Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay, is a four-part series that began in September and is scheduled to conclude in December.
The forthcoming Marvel Zombies series on Disney+ might well set the stage for a new gaming venture. The 2021 What If…? animated series on Disney+ revisited the Marvel Zombies concept. In this retelling, instead of an alien infection, the contagion stems from Janet van Dyne after she contracts something sinister in the Quantum Realm. As Bruce Banner returns to Earth with a warning about Thanos, he stumbles into a zombified version of well-known heroes like Doctor Strange and Iron Man. The rest of the episode revolves around surviving characters like Wasp, Spider-Man, Hulk, and Vision as they frantically search for a cure. A further exploration of this narrative is promised with an upcoming four-episode saga, slated to debut in October 2025.
The new series could pave the way for a bold and mature Marvel game, delving into horror, a genre Marvel hasn’t typically explored. Imagine a game reminiscent of Left 4 Dead, where players team up in co-op missions as iconic Marvel heroes or villains, battling hordes of zombies in well-known Marvel settings. Players might encounter terrifying twists, facing off against zombified versions of favorites like Captain America or Spider-Man. Such a game would capitalize on the novelty of engaging with these unusual enemies and could potentially push the envelope with a bit more gore than usual Marvel offerings.
Such a game would not just flesh out a captivating storyline but give fans a rare opportunity to face off against some of Marvel’s most iconic characters in fresh and unexpected ways. By embracing the unique themes of Marvel Zombies, players could experience a side of the Marvel Universe that’s both thrilling and unfamiliar.
