Rank 10: Marvel Heroes
Developer: Gazillion Entertainment | Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One | Release Date: June 4, 2013 | Payment Model: Free2Play | Status: Closed (November 27, 2017)
What do I need to know about the license? The Marvel franchise has become one of the most valuable IPs in the world, especially since the heyday of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 11 movies have managed to surpass the $1 billion revenue mark between 2012 and 2025, some even significantly.
The characters in the blockbusters are of course based on Marvel comics, which have been around since 1939. Supported by countless (animated) series and video games, the last 3 PlayStation games from Marvel’s Spider-Man have also been major blockbuster hits.
What do I need to know about the game? At its core, Marvel Heroes was an action RPG with MMO elements, free-to-play access, and the usual microtransactions. Each playable hero had three talent trees into which you could invest points to develop a specific playstyle.
The selection of playable characters was impressive. By July 2017, players could choose from 63 characters from the Marvel Universe. Additionally, many well-known villains like Doctor Doom or allies like Professor Charles Xavier could be encountered during missions. This already exuded a considerable Marvel atmosphere.
After a weak start, the team around David Brevik (Diablo) delivered a sort of “Cinderella” story. Updates gradually improved Marvel Heroes, and the community praised the fairly fair free-to-play model as well as the regular events.
After Brevik’s departure in early 2016, the developers shifted their focus primarily to console ports. The PC community felt increasingly neglected. This was exacerbated because, at times, only the consoles received new content. Player numbers continued to decline. In November 2017, there was clarity: Marvel Heroes would be shut down.
