Console competition.
Over the past few days Square Enix have unveiled an extensive partnership with Sony to deliver exclusive content to the PlayStation release of Marvel’s Avengers. The biggest coup is the addition of Spider-Man as a free post-release addition exclusive to the PlayStation release. Like other characters, the webcrawler will come with his own story missions, costumes, emotes, and otherwise run the gamut we’re expecting for other post-release characters like Hawkeye.
Such exclusives aren’t unheard of between consoles–Soul Calibur famously employed console icons (and Spawn) in the fifth generation of consoles–but locking Marvel’s most iconic hero behind a specific console is certainly a choice.
So, too, is the choice to extend exclusive community challenges to PlayStation users. These challenges–described by Square Enix as “goals that the community must reach as a whole to gain rewards for everyone”–will be broadly available to players on all platforms, these missions are unique to PlayStation players and contain exclusive rewards.
An exclusive launch window for all Legendary level cosmetics–including for base-game characters–will apply for 30 days on the platform too, with “all PS Plus members [receiving] a free bundle that contains a Rare Outfit, nameplate, and 100 Credits to celebrate the addition of another Avenger to the roster” and bonuses for Ms. Marvel.
Marvel’s Avengers beta goes live for PlayStation users who pre-ordered the game on August 7th. An open beta will follow August 14-16 and August 21-23 on the system.