Telltale Games has grown in popularity in recent years by adapting popular movie, TV, and comic titles into interactive games for everyone to play. Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead were among the first games they produced, but their recent launch of Batman-centric games have continued to elevate its reach. As popularity increased, the reveal that Telltale was teaming up with Marvel was a move that looked to capitalize on the growing interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Since the partnership was announced, questions arose as to what exactly the game would focus on. Whatever property was chosen, potential connections to the MCU, and its story were among points of interest for fans. Now, Telltale has announced which Marvel property they will be exploring, and it is none other than Guardians of the Galaxy.
Telltale Games made the announcement at The Game Awards 2016 moments ago by releasing a teaser trailer for the game. The familiar look of Peter Quill's Sony walkman was the first giveaway, but how well it connects to the films remains to be seen. Co-Founder and CEO of Telltale Games Kevin Bruner said of the game:
In Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series, players will take on multiple roles within the ragtag band of heroes, and take the pilot's seat in directing their escapades around the universe. We are always honored to be working with the best creative partners and storytellers in entertainment, and working with Marvel on this series leaves us excited to share what we've been developing when it premieres in 2017.
Additionally, Senior Vice President of Games & Innovation for Marvel Entertainment Jay Ong spoke about the venture with Telltale:
"With story at the core of everything that Marvel creates, who better to team with than master storytellers Telltale Games. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series fully showcases Marvel and Telltale's rich legacy of storytelling, and fans will find themselves immersed in an original, character-driven narrative. As part of our strategy to establish a new standard for Marvel games, this is certainly among the great titles to come."
The series will also be coming to retail as a special season pass disc, which will include the first episode in the season, and will grant access to the subsequent four episodes as they become available for download via online updates. Specific platform details are yet to be announced.
With the game now officially announced, it will surely piggyback off the marketing and excitement for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. While no firm release date has been set, it seems like a good bet that the first episode of the game will coincide with the release of the sequel. How much the game itself plays into the events of the first film and the sequel remain to be seen, but Telltale does have options.
The game is certainly based off the movie, but there are surely to be differences as well, which should separate it from the MCU's continuity. One of the first examples of this has already been shown with the mixtape being named the "Rad Mix" instead of being "Awesome Mix." It will be interesting to learn in the future if James Gunn had any input on the direction of the series or the songs potentially being used. While fans will have to wait and see just how closely or not the game follows the movies, they should be able to look at Telltale Games' track record to show the developer will deliver a fun, immersive game focused on an intergalactic adventure for the Guardians.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series will premiere in 2017 on consoles, PC, and mobile devices
Source: Telltale Games
