In an absolutely groundbreaking partnership, Niantic secured a deal with Disney to bring the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe to the AR gaming space. The marketing video showcased three kids who develop superpowers and begin fighting crime, implying a future where you too could be an Avenger, provided you were willing to stand in a Starbucks parking lot and mime throwing Thor’s hammer.

The game entered a limited beta in September 2022. One kid had Dr. Strange’s magic. Another had Cyclops’ laser eyes. A third summoned Mjolnir. Player-vs-player action was implied. Nobody was quite sure how Niantic would pull it off. As it turns out, neither was Niantic.

On June 29, 2023, MARVEL World of Heroes became collateral damage in a company-wide purge that eliminated approximately 230 jobs and shuttered the LA studio. John Hanke’s accompanying memo stated, with the serenity of a man who had already made his peace with it, that “the AR market is developing more slowly than anticipated.” This was the official explanation for why Niantic could no longer afford Disney’s royalty rates while also paying 230 salaries.

The MARVEL title holds a unique distinction in the Killed-By-Niantic graveyard: it is the only entry that never received a global public launch. It exists solely as a marketing trailer, a beta fragment, and a cautionary tale about what happens when you license someone else’s universe to build your product and then discover you can no longer afford to live in it.

We’re not sure what’s more impressive: that they were paying Disney’s licensing fees, or that they thought a location-based game about superheroes was a better use of those fees than, say, keeping the lights on.