The development team behind the "Just Cause" series was working on ambitious open world "Iron Man" game but Marvel Studios and Disney canceled the project.
Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios was approached by Disney in 2012 to work on a solo game for Iron Man, revealed co-founder Christofer Sundberg.
Speaking to MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Sundberg, who left Avalanche in 2020 to form Liquid Swords, discussed how the project fell apart due to "company politics."
While Iron Man's been a key figure in the MCU since his original film in 2008, he's mostly shared the video game space with other Avengers. After the the two tie-in video games from Sega in 2008 and 2010, there wouldn't be another Iron Man-themed game until the 2020 PlayStation VR game.
Tight Development Schedule Revealed as Cause of 'Iron Man' Game Cancellation
One of the reasons for the game's cancellation, stated Sundberg, was its development period. The game wasn't meant to coincide with the release of Iron Man 3, but Avalanche was asked to make it with in a short time, which wouldn't have been at all feasible.
According to the Avalanche Studios co-founder, the game was in development for two years before it was halted in around 2012. The game was to have been crafted as an openworld game, wherein players are able to "take off and just fly anywhere." Sundberg also said players would have had the ability to punch enemies through walls using Iron Man's repulsor gloves.
This should have been similar to Avalanche's "Just Cause" games, with possible chaotic open world encounters filled with action and explosions.
What came out instead were poorly accepted iron Man games that were movie adaptations of Iron Man 1 and 2's movie adaptations that got poor reviews. But eight years after the initial game was canceled, an Iron Man virtual reality game launched that featured a spin on the character from outside the MCU.
More Marvel video games coming, Showcase Set
Marvel video games are have now been a lot diffferent from what they were back in 2010. From Insomniac's "Spider-Man 2" and "Wolverine" to Firaxis's "Midnight Suns," there are a lot of Marvel game titles in development. A first-ever Disney and Marvel games showcase is set for September, wherein announcements are expected to be made on "Midnight Suns," Amy Hennig's Marvel ensemble game from Skydance New Media, and much more.
The digital showcase will highlight incredible new content from Disney & Pixar Games, Marvel Games, Lucasfilm Games, and 20th Century Games. In addition to all-new announcements, fans can expect new reveals from titles including "Disney Dreamlight Valley," Marvel's "Midnight Suns," "LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga," and a sneak peek at the upcoming Marvel ensemble game from Skydance New Media.
The Disney & Marvel Games Showcase will be streamed live from D23 Expo 2022 and available to watch on a variety of platforms, including:
- D23Expo.com, @DisneyD23 on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook
- Disney on YouTube, Twitter, Twitch, and Facebook
- Marvel Entertainment on YouTube, Twitter, and Twitch
The Disney & Marvel Games Showcase broadcast begins on Marvel's Twitch channel at roughly 1PM PT / 4PM ET on September 9. This is the only time in which Twitch creators are allowed to co-stream.
