DC has once again landed in some serious trouble, and this time the challenges seem bigger than ever. Over the past few years, they’ve faced major setbacks with the commercial flops of Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Adding to these woes, the much-anticipated Wonder Woman game by Monolith has been axed. The path forward is murky, but there’s a glimmer of hope with James Gunn and Peter Safran at the helm of the DC Universe, open to new ideas and possibilities.
Recently, the duo has been in discussions with NetherRealm and Rocksteady about potentially developing new DC games. They’ve also expressed openness to a DC version of Marvel Rivals, which might just be the move needed to steer DC out of its current rut. Surprisingly, inspiration might also come from a different corner of the superhero world—Marvel, and particularly an upcoming project that’s been stirring interest.
Taking a deeper look, there’s a lot for DC to learn from recent leaks about Black Panther. EA announced a new AAA studio, Cliffhanger Games, back in July 2023, charged with developing a Black Panther game. While details have been scarce, it’s known that this will be a third-person, single-player action-adventure. Fast forward two years from its announcement, and some interesting leaks have surfaced.
On February 21, TheGhostOfHope shared intriguing hints about the upcoming Black Panther game on Twitter. According to the leak, players might get to decide who takes up the Black Panther mantle at the game’s outset. The contenders supposedly include familiar faces like T’Challa, M’Baku, Shuri, and Killmonger, each with their own set of weapons, armor, and gadgets.
The leak also mentioned some exciting gameplay elements, like an over-the-shoulder point-of-view and a storyline that’s shaped by player choices, prompting unique missions. Notably, Cliffhanger Games is rumored to be aiming for authentic African martial arts integrated with superhuman abilities and futuristic gadgets.
The premise from these leaks is something DC could adapt brilliantly for their heroes. Passing the superhero baton is a common theme in comics but hasn’t been thoroughly explored in video games. When it happens, players are typically just spectators to these story decisions rather than participants.
If the rumors about Black Panther’s game allowing players to choose the hero prove true, it could set a new benchmark in superhero gaming. Taking a similar route, DC could explore games that let players decide who takes on the cape. Imagine a Green Lantern game where you can choose between Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, or John Stewart. Or a Flash game where Wally West, Barry Allen, and Jay Garrick are playable choices. Such games could provide a unique homage to DC’s storied past, freshening up gameplay with each character’s distinctive abilities and story arcs. True, it demands effort to make each option feel fully realized, but this level of ambition might be just what DC needs to regain its footing in the gaming arena.
