Marvel’s follow-up to XCOM has been delayed
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Marvel’s Midnight Suns, an upcoming tactical RPG from Civilization developer Firaxis, has been delayed for a second time.
Despite receiving an October 7 release date during Summer Game Fest, the superhero strategy game’s launch date has slipped. It will now release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometime before March 31 next year, with its Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One versions releasing at an unspecified later date.
The delay was announced during publisher 2K’s latest quarterly earnings report (opens in new tab), before being confirmed on Twitter in an official developer statement (opens in new tab): “After discussion with the team, we’ve made the decision to move back the launch timing of Marvel’s Midnight Suns to ensure we are delivering the best possible experience for our fans.
“We know fans are looking forward to playing Marvel’s Midnight Suns and we will use this extra time to make sure we are delivering the best possible experiences for everyone.”
Midnight Suns is a tactical RPG that puts you in control of a team of superhero heavyweights. All the usual Marvel heroes will be at your disposal, including Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Wolverine, alongside deeper cuts like Magik and Nico Minoru. They can be outfitted with new abilities as part of a light RPG system, but you’ll also create your own original superhero.
With its team-based, third-person tactical combat, Midnight Suns has drawn comparisons to Firaxis’s past XCOM games. But it looks to diverge from the core XCOM formula in several key ways. Battles aren’t fought on gridded maps, but open arenas. While you’ll still be positioning your squad to take advantage of cover as you fend off waves of enemy troops, combat is driven by a card system that incorporates deck-building mechanics.
Firaxis is also pitching Midnight Suns as a move away from the usual tones of the MCU. Expect a narrative-heavy game with a supernatural story that revolves around Lilith, the mother of demons.
This isn’t the first time Midnight Suns has been delayed. The game was originally scheduled to release in March 2022 but was pushed back to October this year, before being hit with its latest delay. Marvel fans and turn-based tactics aficionados have been waiting since 2021 to get their hands on the game. Let’s hope it’s worth the wait.