Marvel’s Avengers’ Campaign Is Single-Player Only

Marvel’s Avengers might not be due to release for almost a year, but that hasn’t stopped developer Crystal Dynamics from clarifying certain gameplay elements early.

The action-adventure title, which lets players live out the power fantasy of being a superhero, was first unveiled at E3 last week following its initial announcement way back in 2017. Immediately following the reveal, various members of the development team walked on-stage to outline the title’s structure and various gameplay elements, among them confirmation that it will support four-player co-op.

That feature, however, doesn’t come without its restrictions. For starters, you won’t be able to form a group consisting of four identical heroes (there goes the dream of having an army of Hulks), so if you join a lobby wanting to play as Iron Man with one already present, you’ll have to look elsewhere. In a narrative sense, the decision to disallow duplicates makes complete sense, but with a starting roster of only five characters, it could prove frustrating for day one players. We imagine that issue will lessen as Crystal introduces additional heroes, of course, though multiplayer is a wholly optional component to begin with.

In fact, if your interest in Marvel’s Avengers only extends to experiencing the story, the above won’t be a concern at all. Speaking to IGN, the developer specified that all main story missions are designed specifically with solo play in mind and therefore won’t allow you to take them on together with a friend. This is due to each stage focusing on one Avenger at a time as well as their scripted nature, says Crystal, likening the latter to its own Tomb Raider series.

Where multiplayer announces itself is via side missions. These too, will further the narrative established in the campaign and allow players to join forces. Optional side quests such as these won’t force you to play online, however, as the entirety of the game can be experienced offline, should you so wish.

How this system ultimately pans out remains to be seen, but it hopefully shouldn’t be too long before Crystal is ready to show some first gameplay footage of Marvel’s Avengers. Stay tuned for more.