The 2000s and 2010s: When Marvel Embraced iGaming

Most comic book fans will have experienced their favorite superheroes appearing in other forms of media. Movies and video games are the common examples, of course, but they can pop up in other areas, from trading cards to audiobooks.

Slot games? Not so much, at least when we are talking about officially branded content. However, it wasn’t always the case. In the 2000s and early 2010s, both Marvel and DC Comics had a range of officially branded slot games available online. They were hugely popular, but, for a variety of reasons, they are no longer available.

The most famous series of games came from Playtech, which struck a deal with Marvel Characters BV in early 2009. The deal was announced as a multi-year agreement allowing the casino games developer to release games based on Marvel characters. And the games came flooding out: X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man (tying in with the first Iron Man film), the Avengers, and many others would soon become among the world’s most popular slot games.

Games faithfully recreated Marvel imagery

The key was arguably that the games were fully licensed, often incorporating clips and audio from the movies. This was pure crossover appeal, and Playtech reaped the rewards. Playtech would actually sign another deal with DC Comics, bringing Batman and Superman to the casino. However, it wasn’t just as exclusive as the Marvel deal, as other iGaming brands, like Microgaming, also had deals with Marvel.

So, what happened? Well, the timing of the original deal is important. The multi-year agreement with Marvel was in early 2009, and many comic-book fans will be acutely aware of the event that happened at the end of 2009: Disney finalized the deal to buy Marvel for $4 billion.

The consequence was simple: Playtech would still produce the games for a few years, but Disney, perhaps wanting to move comic-book content toward its family-friendly image, would not extend the deal. The bottom line is that the games started to be phased out from 2013 onwards. It would take time – with the final games leaving in 2017 due to various jurisdictions and platforms’ licensing agreements. A little later. DC games would also be removed.

Casinos have evolved with more game genres

While fans might remember the games fondly, it certainly hasn’t hurt the iGaming sector. Branded games are certainly still popular; we can cite The Godfather Megaways at McLuck.com as an example of a popular officially licensed game based on a movie. However, the industry has also evolved in different ways, and we’d point out that the variety of games at online casinos and social casinos is much greater than ever before.

Still, for a time, Marvel games were the last word in iGaming. It was an exciting time because the industry itself was changing, reacting to, for example, the roll-out of the iPhone and other new internet-related technologies. All of a sudden, you could play slot games based on your favorite superhero on your smartphone. It’s just a small slice of Marvel history, and of internet history, but it was an interesting one for comic-book fans who enjoy casino games.