Marvel Cosmic Invasion Teases New DLC That’s Arriving at the Perfect Time
Marvel Games has plenty of different projects being worked on right now, including a second wave of DLC for the beat-em-up Marvel Cosmic Invasion. After the addition of Cyclops and The Thing in the first expansion for the game, players have been waiting for an update that expands content in ways besides putting in new heroes. Thankfully, details surrounding the DLC #2 for the game seems to answer that widespread concern.
The growth of Marvel Cosmic Invasion comes off a foundation of solid 2D side scrolling beat-em-up action, made in the likeness of old arcade games from the same genre. Much like the revival of the old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle side scrollers, Marvel Cosmic Invasion received plenty of praise on release for having a gorgeous art style alongside nostalgic gameplay. With the ability to team up with other players for four person co-op, any DLC levels would be ones old groups to get back together to explore.
The Siege Of Castle Doom DLC Merges Marvel Cosmic Invasion With The MCU’s Doomsday
The second DLC for Marvel Cosmic Invasion is called Siege of Castle Doom, an expansion that plans to add two more playable characters to the game. As its title suggests, this DLC is all about Doctor Doom, featuring one of the first new villains for the beat-em-up after Annihilus was the focus of the game’s main story. Although players fought other villains like Knull, Master Mold, M.O.D.O.K., and Thanos in Cosmic Invasion‘s campaign, the inclusion of Doctor Doom feels like a bold step in a new direction.
Instead of other characters from the cosmic side of the Marvel universe, the game is creating an expansion centered around perhaps the most well-known villain from Marvel Comics in Doctor Doom. With the DLC planned for later this year, it’s easy to assume that Siege of Castle Doom is meant to pair with Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU movie coming out near the end of 2026 also featuring Doctor Doom as the primary antagonist. Other games like Marvel Rivals are also planning to showcase Doctor Doom more around this time frame, so it’s only natural that Marvel Cosmic Invasion follows suit.
The details surrounding Siege of Castle Doom are sparse, but developer Tribute Games has shared a few snippets of information following the DLC’s announcement. According to official statements, the expansion “will find the infamous Doctor Doom central to an all-new game mode arriving alongside two playable new characters.” As of this time of writing, players have no idea whether Doctor Doom is one of those playable characters, or if the game mode includes new levels within the fictional country of Latveria or a new story within the same region.
Doctor Doom Has Been The Star Of Many Different Marvel Projects Ahead Of The Next Avengers Movie
The Doctor Doom theme to Marvel Cosmic Invasion‘s DLC is hardly the first time the character has been featured in Marvel Games content, as mentioned before with Marvel Rivals. However, players may not realize to the extent at which Doctor Doom has appeared in recent months, with multiple examples of the character being pushed ahead of the MCU’s biggest movie in years. The biggest instance of this is through Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, the 4v4 fighting game with Doctor Doom on its roster.
Doctor Doom in Marvel Tōkon is one of several “leader” characters in the game, or fighters who have been selected to put together a team of four to face the challenge of intergalactic fighting god The Champion. Doctor Doom assembles Magneto, Carnage, and the Green Goblin through his Episode story mode within the game, with his adventure fittingly being titled the “Knights of Doom.” The fighting game has a diverse expression of Doctor Doom’s mastery of magic and technology, a trait that could be shared in Marvel Cosmic Invasion should Doom become playable there too.
The emphasis of Doctor Doom might mold the DLC into being something endlessly replayable, similar to the main campaign of Cosmic Invasion. Some theories point toward the new game mode being an endless survival experience of sorts, where players try to reach the end of a long, almost roguelike path against endless enemy waves. Earning the highest score in Siege of Castle Doom could keep players coming back, in the same way that Marvel Cosmic Invasion‘s arcade-like feel is great for speedrunners who look to get through the main story as fast as possible.