Summary
Marvel’s Midnight Sunsdid quite a lot right. Firaxis’ expertise in crafting strategy gameplay shined through, as the card combat of the title was satisfying to master. The storytelling was solid, with a unique tale involving an original protagonist called the Hunter battling their mother’s demonic forces. Where the game truly shined was in its characters, as players were able to develop relationships with faithful versions of some of Marvel’s most popular figures. Unfortunately, as good as the game was,Marvel’s Midnight Sunsis unlikely to get a sequel - though there is still hope for the group to reappear one day.
ThoughMarvel’s Midnight Sunswas a critical success, the game failed to take off commercially. In fact, publisher Take-Two Interactive stated thatMarvel’s Midnight Sunswas a financial disappointment, making any hopes of a sequel hugely unlikely to be realized. Firaxis also has its sights set onCivilization 7, which could keep it busy for some time. Despite this, there is a good chance that the Midnight Suns faction reappears at some point in the world of video games. Not only could they feature in a larger game that spans the whole Marvel universe, but another type of Midnight Suns game could happen eventually thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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The MCU Makes More Video Game Appearances For The Midnight Suns Possible
The impact of the MCU cannot be denied. With Marvel Studios not having access to its A-list characters like Spider-Man and the X-Men, it was forced to dig a bit deeper into its repertoire when crafting its cinematic universe. While it did not start with truly obscure characters likeElsa Bloodstoneand Agatha Harkness, risking it all on B-list figures like Iron Man and Thor was still a bold move. Still, the risk paid off, and characters like Tony Stark are now household names like Peter Parker.
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe progresses, the Midnight Suns feels like a no-brainer for a future crossover event. All the characters that deal with supernatural threats, from Doctor Strange and Moon Knight to Elsa Bloodstone and Blade, would fit perfectly onto the team.The MCU debut of Ghost Riderhas also been rumored for some time, and he would be a must for the group when he arrives. Eventually, it feels like the MCU will get to the Midnight Suns, especially with more mature stories likeDeadpool 3being embraced by the franchise. And when that movie happens, the popularity of the Midnight Suns will surely skyrocket.
WhileMarvel’s Midnight Sunswas smart to advertiseAvengers members and icons like Spider-Manalongside the lesser-known Midnight Suns members, the reality is that the group was likely adapted before its time. Had Firaxis released its game after the Midnight Suns had united on the big screen, the casual audience likely would have had more interest in the title. Still, if this hypothetical movie happens,Marvel’s Midnight Sunscould eventually experience a well-deserved resurgence. And beyond that, another Midnight Suns-centric game could be released to capitalize on the hype.
If and whenanother game focused on the Midnight Sunshappens, though, it will likely play very differently from the one that players have now. While a lack of brand recognition could have hurtMarvel’s Midnight Suns, as the team is not nearly as well-known as other Marvel factions, it was still a Marvel game. In reality, the biggest contributor toMarvel’s Midnight Sunsnot becoming a hit was probably its gameplay style. While a turn-based, tactical RPG can be fun, fans of the superhero genre gravitate toward games likeMarvel’s Spider-Manbecause they can actually feel like they are controlling the heroes. InMarvel’s Midnight Suns, they are just selecting and watching attacks. There may be nothing inherently “wrong” with this style, but it can certainly shrink a game’s potential audience size.
Still,Marvel’s Midnight Sunshas lessons to teach another game based on the team even if it were to be part of a different genre. Specifically, the faithful characters and intriguing dynamics between them could be replicated. With a great game to learn from as well as comic books and hopefully an MCU film one day, fans should be confident that the Midnight Suns will be seen in another video game. After all, there will surely be another Avengers game despiteMarvel’s Avengers' shutdown. Though a game centered on the faction has already happened, it feels like the Midnight Suns have not even come close to their full potential, making additional video game appearances more likely than not.
Marvel’s Midnight Sunsis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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