After Rocksteady’s Arkham series and the continued success of Insomniac’s Spider-Man games, the superhero game genre is experiencing something of a renaissance. With the future release of Wonder Woman, Marvel Rivals and Marvel’s Wolverine, there doesn’t seem to be an end to the genre’s popularity any time soon. The only real question seems to be which character is due for a game next.
That question is mostly answered by the public zeitgeist; some characters are more popular than others and are more likely to get games. Obviously, there are heavy hitters like Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Superman who have the street cred to carry a game, in addition to characters like Logan, who is in the upcoming Marvel’s Wolverine from Insomniac. But occasionally the moment is right for a B-Lister to have enough popularity to warrant a solo outing of their own, and a certain X-Man has had a huge year that should pave the way for a game of his own.
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It’s Finally Time for a Gambit Solo Game
Gambit’s Powers Lend Themselves Perfectly to a Game
Gambit has always been a favorite of X-Men fans, but after his appearances in X-Men ’97 and Deadpool and Wolverine, the character has really come into his own in the eyes of the general public. Now might be the best time in history to capitalize on the character’s widened appeal and finally give the Ragin’ Cajun his due in a standalone video game.
Though it may be easier to justify a Gambit solo game now after his renewed popularity with the public, the character has always been ripe for a game of his own. His powers alone lend themselves remarkably well to a third-person action game. Gambit’s ability to supercharge objects with kinetic energy allows him to employ a range of attacks both up close and at range. Obviously, his iconic staff and playing cards are a must-have, but within the context of a game, the sky is the limit of this power. Anything the player can grab, pick up, or throw is a possible weapon. Gambit’s a street brawler at heart, so a solo game starring him could see him using anything and everything in his environment to his advantage, like a supercharged Dead Rising game.
Gambit Inspires a Unique Marvel Game Setting
Speaking of his environment, there’s only one setting befitting a Gambit game: the Big Easy itself, New Orleans. Remy’s Cajun identity has always been integral to who he is, and New Orleans is central to that entire culture. For most of Gambit’s character’s history, if he’s not at the X-Mansion, it’s a safe bet that he’s hanging around on Bourbon Street. Any Gambit game would not be complete without New Orleans as a major location.
Aside from the city’s importance to the character, New Orleans is also an incredibly rich setting for an open world game that’s been criminally untapped so far. New York has gotten plenty of love as an open world environment, but New Orleans not so much. The heavy hitters are obviously Red Dead Redemption 2 and Infamous 2, but these are not only fictionalized versions of the city, but in RDR2’s case, a historical recreation of New Orleans. In terms of faithful recreations of New Orleans as it exists today, it’s something of a blind spot. A Gambit game is the perfect opportunity to give the city the same loving treatment Insomniac gave when recreating NYC in Marvel’s Spider-Man.
Gambit Has the Makings of a Loveable Game Character
And last, but certainly not least, is the reason why Remy is experiencing a mini-renaissance: his personality.
Gambit is a very fun character with a ton of storytelling potential. He’s got a bad boy visage and a debonair, devil-may-care attitude, but underneath it all is a heroic streak and the heart of an old-school romantic. Whether the game’s writing wants to lean into Gambit’s more comedic side like in Deadpool and Wolverine or if it favors a more traditional, comic-accurate Remy like in X-Men 97, both interpretations of the character have already proven to be huge hits.
The smartest play would be to strike while the iron is hot and get the game out ASAP, but there’s prudence in waiting. Perhaps Insomniac takes on a Gambit game as a continuation from its own Marvel Universe. It would likely have to be after the events of Marvel’s Wolverine, to lean into whatever mutant story lines that game sets up. If any studio can give Gambit his due, it’s Insomniac. He’s been waiting for this treatment for a long time, but Remy can wait a little bit longer to make a name for himself in video games.
Marvel’s Wolverine is a third-person action game from Insomniac Games that is set in the same universe as the studio’s Spider-Man titles.
- Franchise
- Marvel
- Released
- October 1, 2024