Marvel 2099: One Nation Under Doom (video game)

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1 Video Game Brosure
2 Background
3 What Actually Killed the Game?
4 References

[edit] Video Game Brosure

Is there any future to the future? That's what you, the player, might have decided in Mindscape's Marvel 2099: One Nation Under Doom for the Sony PlayStation. Based on Marvel Comics' 2099 line of comic books, this game would have taken place in a bleak, dystopian future where major corporations controlled a polluted, "used car" tech-intensive planet that was set roughly 100 years after the normal Marvel family of titles. As luck would have it, future counterparts to modern Marvel characters would have popped up, many intent on changing the world. In some cases, these heroes and villains were limited to parallels of same-named forebears (like Spider-Man 2099, Daredevil 2099, and Punisher 2099), while others (such as The Fantastic Four 2099 and Doom 2099) were being designed as time-travelers from the 20th century - or possible clones of the originals.^[1]

With the entire world as its stage, the game's plot would have loosely played out 1995's "One Nation Under Doom" comic storyline, told through impressively rendered cut scenes. In it, the decidedly Machiavellian Dr. Victor Von Doom has wrestled control of the United States from its corporate-controlled puppet government and declared himself president. Meanwhile, Anthony Herod - a villain of such epic proportions that even Doom is put to shame - has begun machinations to destroy not only this new head of state, but also dominate the entire world. Trapped in the middle of this conflagration, you would have controlled a group of super powered beings using them to return some semblance of freedom to the planet.

Much along the lines of Playmates' Skeleton Warriors or Acclaim's Iron Man/XO Manowar, this would have been a 2D side-scrolling game with 3D rendered characters ^[2]. But unlike the aforementioned others, it would have given you the choice of a whopping eight different heroes to play, including Spider-Man 2099, Hulk 2099, Thing 2099, Punisher 2099, Ghost Rider 2099, Daredevil 2099, and characters from the X-Men 2099 team.

[edit] Background

In February 1996, Mindscape Inc. announced they would produce a video game based on the Marvel 2099 universe. Promoted as one of their top five games for the year, the game would be released on December 1, 1996, just in time for the Christmas rush. Available in CD-Rom format, two versions were announced: Sony Playstation and Windows 95.

By May CD-ROM and VHS video demos were being shipped to game magazines for pre-release reviews, along with a one-page color brochure. The first public demo was shown at the E3 show, and featured a playable single level of the Punisher 2099 fighting SHIELD troops, and also opening menus and some cut scenes. Electronic Gaming Monthly had two quarter-page previews of the game, showing grainy shots of actual gameplay, and a group shot of the player characters. Joe Fielder, game reviewer for Mindscape, didn't give it a glowing review on their website, however a second showing of the work-in-progress game, this time boasting more playable levels. In July, at the 1996 San Diego Comicon. The booth also handed out brochures, and raffled off One Nation Under Doom pins, shirts, and posters. Some attendees were even allowed to play the demo at the booth, although no copies of the demo were actually distributed to the public. About this same time, 3D Design magazine did a cover story on the Marvel 2099 game.

After July, things fell apart for Mindscape. The company was having a disastrous year financially. Ongoing production of the game slowed down, and eventually stopped for financial reasons, the game was never officially canceled. Mindscape reorganized it's entire organization at least once between July 1996 and December 1996, effectively replacing it's entire games division, including the game's executive producer and nearly everyone else involved in the promotion of the game.

The effect was retailers and distributors were not notified that the game had been delayed. The only indication that the game was not being released was it's absence in the Mindscape 4th quarter '96 product literature. Mindscape reorganized again in early 1997, reducing even more staff, further removing all knowledge of the missing game from inside their own ranks.

[edit] What Actually Killed the Game?

In 1996, both Mindscape and Marvel were at the edge of bankruptcy, and both needed a financial success badly. Two years earlier, the 3D game Doom had been released for the PC, and it's unimaginable success meant that the 2D gaming world had been dealt a deathblow. Although Marvel 2099 was boasting fully 3D characters, the demos showed game play that was side-scrolling, jump-and-punch style action using those 3D characters. Although the visuals were impressive, the actual game play was not up to par with the new games. Mindscape needed a hit, and early reactions from the E3 and Comicon shows gave them the impression this wasn't it.

The game was first announced at an unusual time - not thirty days earlier, Marvel had just fired 2099 group editor Joey Cavalieri, and prompted a walkout by most of the 2099 creative team ^[3] . Marvel then publicly announced, in mid-January, the titles were being canceled. It was about three weeks later when Mindscape made their announcement that they had been awarded the 2099 license. According to newly-appointed writer Ben Raab, the entire purpose of the 2099: World of Tomorrow title was to insure there would be at least one 2099 title on the shelf when the game was released. Coincidentally, when production halted completely on the game (approx. January 1996), Marvel abruptly canceled 2099: World of Tomorrow. Some websites still show the game as published and released in their catalogs.^[4]