Developer Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that Marvel’s Avengers will officially end support on 31 March 2023. The news arrives after previous reports that an announcement would take place soon, but it looks like the studio has come out early to confirm the news. At the end of September, the game will also be de-listed from digital storefronts.
Following update 2.8 arriving on 31 March 2023, Crystal Dynamics will cut support for Marvel’s Avengers, the live-service superhero action game that launched in 2020. The game received numerous updates and free DLC since then, constantly adding new heroes such as Kate Bishop, Spider-Man, Mighty Thor and Black Panther to the roster. Despite originally promising that the game will run for several years and add new heroes at a frequent rate, the developer is now ending all future updates.
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Crystal Dynamics revealed when players can expect support for Marvel’s Avengers to end in a recent post:
“After two-and-a-half years and introducing twelve of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, following Update 2.8 on March 31, 2023, we will no longer add new content or features to Marvel’s Avengers. All official support for the game will end on September 30, 2023. Even after official support ceases on September 30, 2023, both single- and multi-player gameplay will continue to be available.”
Players will no longer be able to purchase credits from 31 March either, but all remaining credit balances will be converted into in-game resources. Below is a table showing what resources will be gifted to players based on their current credit:
Until 30 September, players will be able grab a digital copy of Marvel’s Avengers. After that, you’ll still be able to re-download the game even if it’s no longer available in digital storefronts. As long as it’s still in your library, you can enjoy Marvel’s Avengers but sadly, there won’t be any support done for the game thereafter.
Additionally, every piece of content available on the game’s digital marketplace will be made free for all players. This will only happen when its final update goes live on 31 March. In the meantime, credits can still be used to purchase items in the marketplace. Beyond 31 March, marketplace items will continue to be free, even for those who find a physical copy past 30 September.
Sadly, Xbox and PC players will still be left without Spider-Man as Crystal Dynamics confirmed that the character will remain exclusive to PlayStation.
It’s unfortunate that Marvel’s Avengers ended up this way. Even as a live-service title, the game showed tremendous potential but most fans felt jaded by its reliance on microtransactions. The slow rate of new characters and DLC being added to the game didn’t help its cause either. Hopefully this serves as a cautionary tale for any future live-service games that also place an emphasis on microtransactions and fail to deliver consistent support.
Crystal Dynamics concluded:
“We know this is disappointing news as everyone in our community has such a connection to these characters and their stories. We’re so grateful that you came on this adventure with us. Your excitement for Marvel’s Avengers – from your epic photo mode shots, to your threads theorizing who our next heroes would be, to your Twitch streams – has played a large part in bringing this game to life. We hope you continue to play and enjoy Marvel’s Avengers. We can’t thank you enough for your support and for being part of our super team.”
Marvel’s Avengers is currently available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The game will be de-listed from digital storefronts on 30 September, but physical copies can still be bought.
Source: Crystal Dynamics
