Activision confirmed that Marvel titles have been removed from digital stores like PlayStation Network, Xbox Live and Steam, and sources indicated that the company has no plans to reconsider their decision.
Twifinite recently reported that a NeoGAF user discovered that "Deadpool" game, which was developed by High Moon Studios based on Marvel Comics' story, was conspicuously removed from Steam, PSN and Xbox Live.
The game failed to hit sales expectations and did not get desirable reviews from different gaming websites since it as released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in June 2013. Users are wondering, though, if it is enough for them to pull out the game from the digital stores, considering the fact that most companies are looking forward to an "all-digital" future.
"We have confirmed that the title is absent from Steam, Xbox Live, and PlayStation Network. If you're a PC gamer, you can still buy Steam codes via Amazon and Gamefly," NeoGAF user 'Delusibeta' posted.
Mike Futter of Game Informer, who made a follow-up to know if the game was completely removed from all digital delivery stores, got word from Activision that the title is "gone for good" along with other Marvel titles.
Futter wrote that aside from the "Deadpool", several Marvel titles like "Spider-Man: Friend or Foe", "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows", "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions", "Spider-Man: Edge of Time", "X-Men: The Official Game", "X-Men Destiny", and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" were also removed from PSN, Xbox Live and Steam.
Futter added that Activision said that gamers who are looking to purchase these titles should get a retail copy as soon as possible, confirming that the developer might also stop producing copies for the retail channel. At this point, physical copies of "Deadpool" for consoles are still available, while Steam codes for PC are still being sold on Amazon and Gamefly.
Cinema Blend also reported that "Marvel vs Capcom 3" and "Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3" were also booted out of the digital stores, creating speculation that Activision's license for games featuring Marvel characters has already expired.
Reports also indicated that Disney did not like the way third-party publishers handled Marvel license, which might be the reason why Activision was forced to pull out Marvel-related games from digital stores.
Sources also added that Disney is developing their own digital distribution portal. If such rumors are true, all Marvel games will be housed under one roof, similar to what Electronic Arts and Ubisoft did with their published titles.