Over the years, Marvel has dabbled in a wide variety of gaming genres and styles. They’ve ventured into open-world action adventures, toyed with turn-based strategy games seasoned with a hint of the occult, explored cooperative live-service experiences, and even dipped their toes into the realm of virtual reality. It’s clear Marvel has strived to cater to a diverse gaming audience with its offerings.
Yet, if we take a look at the last decade or two, most of Marvel’s video games have largely been third-person action adventures with a Teen ESRB rating or lower. These games often tread lightly, weaving in heavy themes here and there but, for the most part, maintaining an overall cheerful vibe. This suits the Marvel brand well, but it could be refreshing to see them venture into darker, more mature territories occasionally. Perhaps delving into horror could be Marvel’s next bold move, and it seems like the perfect time for them to consider a leap in that direction, maybe as soon as next year.
The Marvel Zombies comic series, launched back in November 2005, might just provide the innovation Marvel needs. It began with an “Ultimate Fantastic Four” storyline where Reed Richards reaches out to an alternate version of himself in another universe occupied by zombified Marvel heroes and villains, setting the stage for Marvel Zombies.
Written by Robert Kirkman, famed for The Walking Dead, and illustrated by Sean Phillips, this initial series spanned five issues from December 2005 to April 2007. Set on Earth-2149, Marvel Zombies introduced a virus turning much-loved heroes and villains into flesh-hungry zombies. Unlike typical zombie lore, these creatures retained their powers and intelligence, stirring fear not just from their hunger, but what their superior abilities could unleash.
Since then, Marvel Zombies has spawned numerous sequels and spinoffs, essentially evolving into its own series within the Marvel comic universe. Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay, the latest installment, kicked off in September and is wrapping up in December.
Looking ahead, Marvel’s exploration of the zombie theme continues with an animated series on Disney+. The “What If…?” anthology introduced the episode “What If…Zombies?” which recreated the Marvel Zombies narrative, albeit with a twist — the virus originated from the Quantum Realm via Janet van Dyne.
In this tale, Bruce Banner finds himself back on Earth, only to be greeted by a horde of infected beings, including some fellow Avengers like Doctor Strange and Iron Man. Heroes like Spider-Man, Wasp, and others band together, trying to survive and find a remedy. A four-episode follow-up to this story is slated for release in October 2025, under the Marvel Zombies banner.
So, what might a Marvel Zombies video game look like? This upcoming series offers Marvel a rare chance to embrace more mature themes and dip its feet into a genre it’s yet to explore fully. Picture something akin to Left 4 Dead — where fans could team up for co-op missions, combating hordes of superpowered zombies in iconic Marvel settings.
Imagine squaring off against infected versions of cherished characters, perhaps in climactic battles every few levels. Part of the game’s allure would stem from the opportunity to face heroes you wouldn’t typically fight, like Captain America or Spider-Man. The grim theme would also allow Marvel games to venture into more visceral territories than usual, creating an experience both thrilling and unique for its fans.
