SomeMarvel Championsplayers were already expressing concerns about a coming content drought for the Fantasy Flight Games LCG this summer before coronavirus began impacting shipping and distribution around the world and things certainly haven’t gotten any better. Usually LCGs deliver new content on a monthly basis and that has been the case so far, but the game is going to lack some new villains until Red Skull and company arrive.
During the Rise of the Red Skull reveal event, FFG confirmed that it is still aiming for a quarter three release for the game’s first campaign expansion, but that window is very much in flux at this point. So far, most of the announcedMarvel Championscontent that has not been released yet just includes additional heroes to throw at the core set bosses, Norman Osborn, and The Wrecking Crew; but no additional villain scenarios to change up the challenges.
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That said, theRise of the Red Skull announcementarticle did contain another of the game’s mysterious silhouette collages that offers a glimpse at what villain and heroes are going to arrive after the Rise of the Red Skull expansion. Although it’s impossible to know for sure at this point, we can definitely make some guesses about who the characters in question are going to be.
Let’s tackle these in order and see what hints there are for each release. The top left image is the only scenario pack and perhaps the hardest one to identify. The image is super vague and the character doesn’t really have any defining shape or characters to offer good hints. Kraven the Hunter is a possibility, but with the theme of the other surrounding releases sticking closer to SHIELD/Avengers enemies, Kraven seems like a bit of a stretch.
The following four heroes offer a bit more to work with and there are a few sound theories surrounding these images.
The most popular theory likely comes from the fact that there are seemingly three male heroes and one female hero. Fans have been hoping for a Fantastic Four set for a long time, so obviously this theory is popping up again now. The September hero found easily be Johnny Storm relaxing on the couch, while October would be Reed Richards working in the lab. November doesn’t really look like the right shape for a pre-transformation Ben, but it’s possible. Obviously that would make December the Invisible Woman’s alter ego, Sue Storm.
Aside from the weird shape for Ben, one reason to distrust this theory is that a team as iconic as The Fantastic Four seems like it should arrive as its own full campaign expansion with accompanying villains like Doctor Doom.
Another popular theory comes from the shape of the November silhouette. Comic fans were quick to point out that the posture and hair definitely match a lot of the post House of M Quicksilver art. Although Quicksilver is often a villain in the comics, both he and Scarlet Witch also have a rich history with the Avengers. If FFG wants to carry onthe story of the Avengersa bit longer, the upcoming hero packs could be two additional Avengers followed by Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.
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Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch (X-Men)
Hand-in-hand with the Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch Avengers idea is the thought that this could be the rollout of mutant/X-Men content. If November and December are the Maximoff twins, then that could mean the prior two months are two X-Men like Iceman and Beast (or maybe even Wolverine) instead of other Avengers. This theory definitely seems like a possibility, as well. Again, the only real strike against this theory is that it seems like X-Men are a significant enough addition that they would be introduced in a big box campaign expansion, rather than with a handful of hero packs. That said, perhaps the September villain pack will introduce a villainous mutant and the X-Men heroes will appear in the following months to help players battle the new type of enemy.
Confirmed Heroes and Villains
Although it’s fun to speculate about what heroes and villains are on the way, there are already a handful of products scheduled for the coming months that players can currently look forward to. Until further announcements arrive, and assuming game stores open back up at some point, here is what is on the way this spring and summer…
Black Widow (already out in some regions where shipping isn’t on hold and game stores are open)
The Black Widow Hero Pack includes a pre-built deck for black Widow utilizing the Justice aspect, the Taskmaster Nemesis set, and additional cards to help increase your deck building options! With well-rounded base stats and a Preparation card for every occasion, Black Widow is always ready for what’s coming next!
Doctor Strange
With the Doctor Strange Hero Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game, Doctor Strange calls upon forces beyond our understanding, represented within the game by a unique Invocation deck. As the defender of our dimension, the Doctor Strange Hero Pack offers a fully pre-built deck using the Protection aspect to ensure your team of heroes can defend against any attack, from this mortal realm or beyond!
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Hulk
If you’ve ever wanted to tap into your anger and leap into the fight with the Incredible Hulk, this is where you start. Like every Hero Pack, the Hulk Hero Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game comes with a 40-card pre-built deck, giving you the chance to start playing and smashing the villain right out of the box.
The Rise of Red Skull
The Rise of Red Skull campaign expansion boasts a massive infusion of new content for your games of Marvel Champions. Hawkeye and Spider-Woman join your roster of heroes with fully pre-built and ready-to-play player decks stuffed with new cards. Whether you’re playing these new heroes or relying on old favorites, you can test their mettle against five brand-new villains: Crossbones, Absorbing Man, Taskmaster, Zola, and Red Skull. Each of these five scenarios offers a unique challenge, and while you can simply choose a villain to battle, this campaign expansion lives up to its name with the introduction of campaign mode to Marvel Champions: The Card Game.
Be sure to check back in the near future for moreMarvel Championsstrategy guides, news, and updates. Until then, good luck out there, heroes.
Marvel Championsis available now at local game stores.
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