Considering how prominent the character will seemingly be in the current phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's surprising how underutilized Doctor Strange is as a character in media outside the comics. This is especially true in games, with his first real role of prominence coming in the soon-to-be-released Marvel's Midnight Suns. Considering the mystical opposition put up against Marvel's heroes in Midnight Suns, it's unsurprising that developer Firaxis would loop in the good doctor alongside his longtime comics cohort Ghost Rider and other supernatural heroes. However, for fans of the Sorcerer Supreme, his starring role in a major video game has been a long time coming.
For starters, Doctor Strange has never had his own solo adventure in the world of gaming. While the likes of Spider-Man and the various mutants of X-Men have seen countless adaptions thanks to their film and TV outings, more recent heroes have hit pop culture relevance in an age where licensed video games are rare. Early MCU breakouts like Iron Man and Thor had poorly received movie tie-ins, and the more recent film heroes only come to gaming through mobile projects while games like Marvel's Avengers focus on other versions of these characters. So far, when Doctor Strange has appeared in video games, it's always been as a part of the ensemble.
Stephen Strange's first video game appearance was very brief, dating back to the Sega Master System. In Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin, the hero appears in a cameo to give words of wisdom to Peter Parker, but only in the 8-bit version of the game and not the more common Sega Genesis or Sega CD releases. This matches with the character's prominence during this time period, and Strange wouldn't make a playable appearance until individual adventures gave way to video games focused on the more general Marvel universe. He appeared alongside the Sanctum Sanctorum in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and returned in the recent Switch sequel The Black Order. He was also a playable fighter in the last two Marvel vs. Capcom releases, joining his archrival Dormammu. He was also in several of the LEGO Marvel games and appears in mobile-centric titles like Marvel Puzzle Quest and Marvel Contest of Champions.
What Would A Game Focused On Doctor Strange Look Like?
While many of these appearances include genuine fan service for Doctor Strange's comic book adventures, there's so much more that can be done with the character. Even Marvel's Midnight Suns can't really tap into that potential due to its turn-based nature. While developer Firaxis' unique combat system in Midnight Suns will certainly help the game stand out, playing out attacks with cards means that each hero is only unique insofar as they have distinct attack animations. A true Doctor Strange game would not only utilize the magical abilities that have shown up in past projects, but also his lighter-than-air traversal and his unique rogues' gallery.
Doctor Strange's gaming potential could really come to fruition in one of two ways. It's easy to see the hero anchoring an open-world adventure a-la Insomniac's Spider-Man games. For now, that may seem like a big dream, especially since Marvel's Wolverine was announced as a PS5 exclusive during September's PlayStation Showcase, and is expected to release after Marvel's Spider-Man 2. If the same studio works on a Doctor Strange video game, then that means it's years away from releasing. Likewise, Square Enix's recent output of Marvel games, like Avengers and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy, means that a Doctor Strange game probably wouldn't come out anytime soon.
Despite this, a Doctor Strange video game would make a lot of sense for an open-world exploration superhero title. He has the ability to fly and travel between realms, giving the developers plenty of space to tell whatever wild cosmic story they could come up with. Because these games tend to have a wide cast of characters, it would be easy to see Marvel pulling from the same roster as Midnight Suns for guest spots. Another option could be to bring in characters not yet introduced to the MCU that have a connection with Strange, including one-time Sorcerer Supreme Brother Voodoo, fellow MCU stalwart Scarlet Witch, and Strange's on-again/off-again female counterpart Clea.
Could Doctor Strange Star In An Action Game?
Perhaps more exciting is the prospect of casting the character in a more traditional superhero action game. Something like X-Men Origins: Wolverine or the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy could work just as well for the hero, especially considering the flexibility of his cosmic powers. This style of game could even riff off of the impressive level-shifting tech from games like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Double Fine's Psychonauts 2. Levels could blend different environments seamlessly as Strange pursues his mission, creating trippy combat arenas that feel right out of the MCU's adaption back in 2016.
It's clear that Doctor Strange is a key part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward, even recently being featured prominently in the trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home. This ideal, however, should be reflected in Marvel's gaming output. With the expansion of Star Wars games past EA and a slew of new big-budget Marvel titles expected to arrive between now and 2024, it seems that Disney is finally coming around to the potential all of their blockbuster properties have in the gaming world.
It's great that a game like Marvel's Midnight Suns can shine a light on some of the comic book characters that haven't seen the big screen as of yet. However, the company (and fans) would likely be better served if Marvel tapped into the knowledge of upcoming movie titles and produced standout showcases for characters like Doctor Strange in video games - just as they become the MCU's biggest stars. From a business standpoint, this all seems to make a lot of sense, although it may risk flooding the market with too many superhero video games. However, this hasn't been the case for the movie industry, so only time will tell. For now, though, the character remains an underutilized part of Marvel's gaming world.