This definitely stings a bit. In true fashion, EA has just put an end to the new Marvel’s Black Panther single-player game, and now it seems that the studio developing it is set to be shuttered as well. I said this correctly: The project that was once under development at EA’s Cliffhanger Games is dead in the water; and honestly, the gamers are unimpressed with it.
To begin with, let’s just lay this one on the table: What really happened? According to IGN, the game was canceled by EA while still early in development. Cliffhanger Games were formed just last year, specifically for the development of this Black Panther game. And now? POOF. Gone. No official statement was issued, but I’d argue that it probably has something to do with money, corporate restructure, or just maybe EA didn’t want to see this vision realized. Who knows.
Online reactions have been… spicy, at the very least. Some are downright devastated: @HeyItsCY3ER tweeted: “IM SICKKKKKKK 😭🙏🏽.” Others, not so much: @Alpha77Fordo said: “EA just solidifies fans hate for them everytime they get a chance huh.” And, well, can you really blame them? EA hasn’t really done much to rally love around franchises in the past.
Others are rather quietly relieved. @HOSSTILE312619 said, “So this is a W for sure. EA would have put everything behind some fucked up paywall.” And… he ain’t wrong. Considering the EA of microtransactions, we can’t really hail this as a huge loss. Still, though, any gamer who was just ready to embark on a full-time journey through Wakanda has absolutely been shafted.
Wait, it gets better! Some are worried about the other Marvel games already in the pipeline, such as the Iron Man game being handled by Motive Studios. @3216Shields tweeted, “They better not cancel that Iron Man game I’m stoked for that one.” And yeah, the same. After this move, who’s to say what EA’s next step will be?
That is not to say that everyone is bawling. @GasBreakDip said, “No one was playing this lol another ‘beat em up’ super hero game, lifeless,” before the cancellation. Harsh? Maybe. But with so many superhero games flooding the market (looking at you, Gotham Knights), maybe EA saw the writing on the wall.
But the real tragedy is the loss of jobs for the developers. Here is a great idea from @iKarma95: “Hopefully those ppl can get transferred to other games. Let more ppl work on Jedi survivor sequel.” Hopefully, EA will do the right thing by these folks, but let’s just say there are better odds they won’t.
So, what now? Who knows? Maybe another publisher is going to pick up the Black Panther concept. Maybe Marvel passes it off to Insomniac, who’s already busy with the Wolverine game. Or maybe Wakanda will forever remain untouchable in the games world. Either way, this cancellation is just another in a long line of reminders that, in the gaming industry, there’s no such thing as a guaranteed success, even for a sure hit like Black Panther.
Meanwhile, you could still get your superhero fix from Spider-Man 2. Just saying!
