Launched in 2013, Marvel Heroes (later re-titled Marvel Heroes Omega) was an ambitious Free-to-Play Massively Multiplayer Online Action RPG developed by Gazillion Entertainment, with a pedigree including Diablo creator David Brevik. It offered Marvel fans a dream proposition: choose virtually any Marvel hero and build them up in a massive, Diablo-style loot-driven world.
Despite a passionate fanbase and a long life of system overhauls and content updates, the official servers were shut down abruptly in November 2017. Marvel Heroes now stands as one of the great “what ifs” of the genre.
Marvel Heroes was beloved for its adherence to core Marvel lore and its deep, engaging combat systems.
The game’s greatest asset was its massive and ever-growing roster of playable characters. At its peak, players could control over 60 unique heroes and villains, from obvious choices like Spider-Man and Iron Man to deep-cut fan favorites like Squirrel Girl and Magik.
Unlike many ARPGs where classes feel homogenized, every hero in Marvel Heroes played uniquely. Iron Man felt distinct from Hawkeye, and Captain America was mechanically different from the Hulk, ensuring replayability and fidelity to the source material.
The game featured engaging character progression systems, including:
- Omega System: A vast, galaxy-spanning skill tree that allowed for fine-tuning late-game builds.
- Infinity System: A complex grid of stat bonuses that provided near-endless optimization for veteran players.
- Loot Hunt: Satisfying and addictive loot drops, including unique items that catered specifically to each hero’s build.
Brian Michael Bendis Story: The main storyline was penned by famed comic writer Brian Michael Bendis, providing an authentic and entertaining narrative for comic fans
The game’s failure was not due to a lack of quality, but a combination of critical late-game decisions and severe corporate mismanagement.
In a bid to expand its audience, Gazillion relaunched the game on consoles as Marvel Heroes Omega. This required a complete overhaul of the PC game’s systems to accommodate the simpler input methods of controllers.
The resulting “Omega” update drastically simplified the intricate character-building systems (like the power tree and movement abilities), frustrating the core PC playerbase who appreciated the complexity. Movement powers, essential for fast gameplay, were heavily nerfed.
The development focus entirely shifted to the console version, leading to an effective abandonment of the PC version that had sustained the game for years.
In November 2017, Disney/Marvel abruptly terminated its partnership with Gazillion, leading to the immediate and unceremonious shutdown of all game servers and the eventual bankruptcy of the studio. This left players who had recently spent real money on in-game purchases without recourse for refunds.
The game’s legacy lives on thanks to dedicated fan groups who have reverse-engineered the server software. While officially licensed play is impossible, several teams are actively developing private server emulations, allowing players to experience the classic gameplay.
The most prominent effort is the MHServerEmu project, which provides the base emulator used by many community servers. This project focuses on restoring all core systems to their pre-Omega glory.
- MHServerEmu: Open-source project focused on recreating the server software. Feature-complete for single-player. Active work is ongoing for multi-player and endgame systems (PvP, Supergroups). Discord: https://discord.gg/u9Chuu4g
- Council of Ancients: This community hosts a running server based on the emulator, often featuring accelerated progression (boosted XP/drops) for a quicker return to the endgame. Discord: https://discord.gg/MDnUjMp5Un
- Project T.A.H.I.T.I.: A well-known community effort that also hosts a server, often providing a connection tool for easier setup. Discord: https://discord.gg/mhtahiti
