As part of James Gunn’s big reveal for the newly launched DCU, he shared that video games will tie into the movies, TV, and animation projects that will make up Warner Bros. Discovery’s big reboot of the DC universe. While Hollywood has spent the last century perfecting the production process of movies and TV shows, paving the way for grand, interconnected universes, adding video games into the mix could be a bold direction that not even DC’s rivals at Marvel are trying to do.
During a press conference Gunn revealed, “And what we’re doing with the DCU is we are having animation tied directly into live-action television and movies and games all intertwined within the same universe. We’re going to cast actors that are going to be able to play the characters in this as well as in other things.” This sets up a possible future where an actor cast in the DCU could potentially voice the same character in a video game. But incorporating video games into a cinematic universe is much easier said than done, considering not even Marvel and its Disney-backed power have attempted something similar.
So what games should we expect from the new DC Studios? So far, the details are not as concrete as the movie, TV, and animation projects that were announced. But it sounds like direct tie-in games are out, meaning whatever video game plan DC has will be for original stories, much like the already-announced movies and shows.
“I think what’s very different about it for us, for DC is it’s not like we’re going to have Superman come out and then have the Superman game come out,” Gunn said. “It’s more like we have the Superman [movie] come out and then two years later we have Supergirl coming out. So what’s the story in between there? Is there a [Superman’s dog] Krypto game that we can play that comes in between that’s still set in the world with these characters, but that is its own thing?”
Consider what we now know about modern, AAA game development and just look at the number of video game delays in the past five years. We know it takes years of pre-production before a major video game project even gets started, so with the five to six years it takes to finish a game, James Gunn and DC will want to begin planning for their first game now if they want to release it in 2026-2027, between the Superman and Supergirl movies.
Not even Marvel and its Disney-backed power have attempted something similar.
To put it one way, I’d probably feel safer betting on a movie or TV show hitting its announced release date than a video game, making the prospect of including video games a part of the overall DCU plan incredibly risky. If even one of the gaming projects hits a roadblock, it could be delayed by years and come out way after whatever planned movie or TV show it was meant to follow, or even canceled altogether.
There’s a reason why even with Marvel synergizing across movies, TV, and animation, the one exception is video games. Marvel games like Insomniac’s Spider-Man, and Crystal Dynamics’ Avengers are allowed to live (and in Avengers’ case, die) independently from the goings-on in the MCU. The Spider-Man in Insomniac’s game is unrelated to Tom Holland’s character in the MCU, and whatever reboot plans Marvel has for the X-Men, it likely won’t include Insomniac’s Wolverine game.
But if James Gunn and DC Studios can pull it off, that means they’ll have succeeded at a potentially transformative addition to the shared universe concept, and have a leg-up over their Marvel rivals.
Imagine for a moment watching the new Superman: Legacy in theaters in 2025 and a year later playing a game that isn’t just a licensed version of that movie, but a continuation or side-adventure that adds to the film. And one that features the same actors and creative talent reprising their roles. It could genuinely make the DCU a cross-medium endeavor, the first of its kind.
It’s not like Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t have the resources to at least attempt this undertaking. While Rocksteady will likely be tied up with The Suicide Squad Kills the Justice League for the next several years (and who even knows how that will fit into the DCU, if at all), WB Games boasts talent like Avalanche Software, Monolith Productions, NetherRealm Studios, TT Games, and several WB Games offices across North America.
One solution would be to scale down the kinds of games that will be a part of the DCU. While we might not get nor should we expect a AAA DC game to follow every major film or TV release, a compelling but small title that’s lighter on developmental resources but replete with creative ideas and canonical attachment to the DCU could be enticing enough for fans who can’t wait two years between Superman or Batman movies.
If even one of the gaming projects hits a roadblock, it could be delayed by years.
I think it says a lot that the example Gunn shared about games mentions a possible Krypto story. You know, Superman’s superpowered dog. It suggests that whatever games we should expect from the DCU won’t be reliant on Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman headlining. Perhaps one of Gunn’s Suicide Squad villains like King Shark gets a TMNT-style brawler game? Or we’ll get a city management sim starring The Penguin overseeing his criminal enterprise? A 2D platformer starring Damien Wayne given his new importance in the DCU, or even just a Marvel Snap competitor for DC. And these smaller titles could themselves just fill the gap between major gaming releases. Monolith Productions is still developing its open-world Wonder Woman action game which could stand in for the missing Wonder Woman in the DCU’s Chapter One programming.
It’s the kind of “can he do that?” idea that’s defined Gunn’s career so far. And if the DCU can successfully add video games to its plans, it will be another “I guess he can” response that Gunn can send back to his critics.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
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