With five months remaining untilMarvel’s Avengersfinally comes out, it’s been announced that fans will soon have somethingMarvel’s Avengers-related to fill the time before then. As part of a collaboration between Marvel and publisher Titan Books, there will be an official prequel novel that will help set the scene for the upcoming game from Square Enix and developers Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal.
While there areplenty of existing comics to read in preparation forMarvel’s Avengers, the novel in question,Marvel’s Avengers: The Extinction Key, will take place in the game’s version of the Marvel universe. According to the official announcement on IGN, it will follow the Avengers as they take on the Zodiac, an ancient organization out to get its hands on a weapon known as the Zodiac Key. The Avengers team in the novel will consist of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, and Hulk, who will also team up with fellow Marvel heroes like Doctor Strange, Doctor Voodoo, and agents of SHIELD to put a stop to the Zodiac.
Written by Greg Keyes (bestselling author of multiple sci-fi and fantasy novels, including stories set in popular franchises likeStar WarsandThe Elder Scrolls),The Extinction Keywill be released on July 11, 2025. That will give fans enough time to read the book, get hyped, and be ready forMarvel’s Avengersjust in time for its launch in May. But it won’t be the only book related to the game that Titan will release next year.
RELATED:Marvel’s Avengers Shows Off Customization, Gear, and Skill Progression Systems
Coming September 1,Marvel’s Avengers: The Art of the Gamewill offer exactly what that title suggests, featuring detailed looks atthe visual development ofMarvel’s Avengers’characters, environments, and missions. These will include, according to Titan, “exclusive concept sketches, character art, storyboards, and fully-rendered scenes alongside fascinating insights into the creative process.”
While these two books were the only ones announced, it’s likely they won’t be the only ones fans will get, as IGN stated thatThe Extinction KeyandThe Art of the Gameare but “the first entries in a new collaboration” between Titan,Marvel, and the game’s creators that will see “a range of official fiction and non-fiction titles forMarvel’s Avengers.”
As for the game itself,Marvel’s Avengerswill feature action-packed loot-based gameplaythat will enable players to customize their heroes as they progress, either in single-player or four-player co-op. While the game will launch with only six characters, consisting of the game’s five main Avengers plus Ms. Marvel, the game will add more playable heroes over time, all of whom will be free.
Marvel’s Avengerswill be out on July 08, 2025 for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
