Super hero games have been having a bit of a renaissance in recent years. Games like the Batman Arkham series and Marvel‘s Spider-Man have spoiled gamers with amazing quality in both storytelling and gameplay.
Then there’s Marvel’s Avengers.
This Crystal Dynamics developed super hero adventure game failed to wow audiences and critics, but it did have some success from a commercial standpoint. Specifically, it set a second place record in digital purchases for Square Enix.
This isn’t a huge shocker. The game’s beta phase drew in a massive 5 million players and in the wake of movies like Avengers Infinity Way and Avengers Endgame, the brand has a lot of good will with the target audience.
Marvel’s Avengers sold a massive 2.2 million digital copies when it released in September. That’s about on par with the numbers seen by Marvel’s Spider-Man two years earlier.
Only one game in the history of Square Enix has sold more digital copies than Marvel’s Avengers, and it’s not surprising that it also happened this year.
Final Fantasy VII Remake came out on the PlayStation 4 on April 10, 2020 and was a smash hit for the Japanese developer. This came as no shock due to the popularity and legendary status afforded to the original 1997 release of Final Fantasy VII on the PlayStation 1. That made Final Fantasy VII Remake one of the most anticipated game releases of all time.
The fact that its digital sales were so high was also not shocking. Both Final Fantasy VII Remake and Marvel’s Avengers released in 2020, at the height of the COVID-1 pandemic. During this unprecedented era, consumers have been switching over from more traditional products and shopping experiences to more remote online options.
But digital sales have been on the rise long before COVID was a household word. That’s a trend that’s likely to continue, with next generation consoles catering to these digital sales more than ever before. The PlayStation 5 is even releasing a cheaper digital only console that will have no disc drive.
While this move is certainly not going to be popular with major retail establishments, it’s a lot more convenient for gamers. You’re able to pre-purchase a copy of your favorite games before they come out. The game will then download into your console at some point in the week before it releases.
So, the game is loaded onto your console, but it’s locked. Then, on midnight on the day of release, the game is immediately accessible.
Marvel’s Avengers is currently available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC platforms.
