For Black Panther's outfits in Marvel's Avengers, developer Crystal Dynamics took inspiration from the iconic hero's various comic book appearances. The superhero action title received mixed reviews when it was released in September 2020, with criticism aimed at the game's microtransactions and lack of endgame content. However, Crystal Dynamics has continued to support Marvel's Avengers through the release of free updates and expansions.
As Marvel's Avengers' first major expansion, Black Panther - War for Wakanda on August 17. The update is said to be the game's largest piece of post-launch content yet, and it will place heavy emphasis on the heroic Black Panther and his home nation of Wakanda. War for Wakanda will add Black Panther as a new playable Avenger, complete with his own gameplay style and cosmetic items, with the powerful monarch being voiced by God of War voice actor Christopher Judge. The Wakandan Jungle will be a new playable region, and the advanced African nation will reportedly be much different from the areas that Marvel's Avengers players have explored previously. Spider-Man: Miles Morales writer consultant Evan Narcisse, who also penned the popular Marvel comic storyline Rise of the Black Panther, has consulted with Crystal Dynamics to accurately adapt the beloved hero and his home.
Developer Crystal Dynamics recently revealed a number of Black Panther's upcoming Marvel's Avengers outfits, and many of them are directly inspired by memorable comic book appearances. The character's Iconic Outfit, his main appearance in the game, is a combination of classic and modern designs. The noir-style Most Dangerous Man Outfit, complete with a long coat, is inspired by the comic character Kasper Cole who briefly adopted the title of Black Panther. The Damisa-Sarki Outfit is a reinterpretation of the character's very first appearance in 1966, while the Strategist Outfit is based on the 2010 comic storyline Black Panther: Man Without Fear.
While Black Panther - War for Wakanda is the most highly-anticipated piece of content for Marvel's Avengers, the month of July also brought a free update to the game. The endgame mission Omega Level Threat: Family Reunion, released on July 27, adds a highly difficult challenge that even max-level players will struggle to complete. Apparently, the first of many Omega Level Threats to be released, Family Reunion acts as a hugely difficult variation of a mission introduced in the game's first post-launch Operation, Taking Aim. In the mission the Avengers battle through an enemy base before facing off with the power-mimicking android, the Super-Adaptoid.
After a disastrous launch and lackluster post-launch support, Black Panther - War for Wakanda may be the last chance for Marvel's Avengers to win back the crowd. The Wakanda-focused expansion appears to be a labor of love, as both Black Panther and his kingdom look to be adapted accurately and competently. With a number of costumes pulled straight from the hero's decades of comic book history, Marvel's Avengers may provide a perfect love letter to Black Panther's many fans when War for Wakanda launches on August 17.
Marvel's Avengers is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.