Xbox Reportedly Working On Licensing Old Activision Marvel Games

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Abdullah Waseem

At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered. 

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After the immense success of Deadpool and Wolverine, everyone has their attention on the IP. While a solid Deadpool game already exists, it can’t be bought in stores or digitally anymore.

However, Xbox reportedly wants to capitalize on this success by relicensing the Deadpool and Marvel Ultimate Alliance ports.

Why it matters: Both Deadpool and Marvel Ultimate Alliance were published by Activision, which is now a part of Microsoft. However, that was before the acquisition, and Marvel is the one that holds the rights for those games and characters.

Speaking during the Xbox Era Podcast, Nick Baker stated that he heard Microsoft is working on relicensing the games. While they are quite old, Deadpool was released for the Xbox One and can be played on the current generation.

However, since Activision lost the rights several years ago, none of its Marvel games are currently available for purchase. Xbox seems to be attempting to deal with this problem.

They (Microsoft) are looking to get Deadpool and Marvel Ultimate Alliance relicensed to bring those two games back for PC and Series Consoles.

– Nick Baker

It is also important to note that this may be the beginning of something bigger. Similar rumors in the past have suggested that Xbox is interested in bringing back Activision’s older titles that are stuck in licensing limbo.

Perhaps these two games could lead to license restorations for the likes of X-Men Origins Wolverine and Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, both of which are considered great superhero titles.

We even saw the prices of the Deadpool game surge to over $140 because of the licensing problem. The movie, of course, has gone on to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, making over $1 billion.

Still, things may not be as simple as they seem. Insomniac is currently developing Marvel’s Wolverine, which could make the licensing a bit complicated. It may be tricky to strike a deal since Marvel is currently working with Sony.

Despite potential hurdles, however, the idea is certainly interesting. Activision’s older games certainly deserve more attention, and we would love to see them be relisted on modern digital stores.

Abdullah Waseem

News Reporter

Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.