Deadpool and Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, thanks in part to its clever (and widespread) marketing blitz. In addition to a wide variety of brands, the third Deadpool outing (and his first in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) is leveraging video game partnerships to promote the film to players.
From its viral cheeky controllers to in-game takeovers, the gaming activations promoting Deadpool and Wolverine broadly fall into two categories: crossovers with other gaming properties and games based on Marvel IP.
Notably, two major titles are missing on this list — Marvel Rivals and Call of Duty. Netease is currently running its closed beta test for its team-based hero shooter Marvel Rivals. While the company is attending San Diego Comic Con, the team hasn’t cross-promoted Deadpool and Wolverine yet.
Meanwhile, fans theorized that Call of Duty would also run a promotional event for the film. However, the data mined animations fans used as evidence turned out to be for its current WWE crossover.
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Non-Marvel Games
Fortnite
Given Fortnite’s ability to incorporate seemingly every IP, it was only a matter of time for the Merc with a mouth to take over. Just in time for the movie’s release, Epic Games added new Deadpool and Wolverine cosmetics to the Fortnite shop.
Up until the day of release, Fortnite merely teased Deadpool’s impending takeover. The game’s X account and its recent post feature doodles from the titular character.
While not officially announced yet, data miners already found the Deadpool and Wolverine-themed items coming to Fortnite. These leaks shows two packs, each one themed around the movie’s dual protagonists. This article will be updated when more details are revealed officially.
Xbox’s Cheeky Controllers
While Xbox has designed a number of custom controllers to celebrate movie releases, they’ve never launched something quite this cheeky. To celebrate the launch of Deadpool and Wolverine, Xbox ran two giveaways featuring controllers complete with posterior padding.
But what did appear was this magnificent billboard in Alberta, Canada. As Xbox put it, “nothing says ‘you’re my best bub’ quite like renting out a massive sign in the place where [Wolverine] first popped [his] claws.”
Games based on Marvel IP
Marvel Snap
Marvel Snap, the mobile collectible card game from Second Dinner and Nuverse, has themed its current competitive season around Deadpool. Dubbed Maximum Effort, the season pass features themed cosmetics and the introduction of Gwenpool as a card. Additionally, the season added two new themed locations — Weapon X Facility and Taco Truck — to its rotation.
The game also rolled out a new time-limited mode called Deadpool’s Diner. Players can climb the ranks and earn up to 32 different rewards in the high-risk, high-reward mode. These include themed cosmetics and the new Cassandra Nova card — the villain of the Deadpool and Wolverine movie.
To fully promote this limited time mode, Marvel Snap has organized a creator tournament on July 26. In the Conquerers Deadpool Domination tournament, 14 creators will play Deadpool’s Diner starting at 12 p.m. PT to collect as many ‘bubs’ as they can. The creator with the most after two hours will take home the crown. Players can vote for who they think will win for additional in-game currency and the chance at an exclusive Elektra card variant.
Marvel Snap also ran a Twitch Drops campaign themed around the upcoming movie. Players that linked their in-game and Twitch accounts and watched for six hours could earn a new Wolverine card variant.
Marvel Strike Force
Beat the heat in Marvel Strike Force’s Deadpool and Wolverine-themed pool party event. In this four-week long adventure, players will follow Deadpool as he turns S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Hellicarrier into a summer pool party. Each week, gamers can play four new missions for Scopely’s turn-based mobile RPG.
Of course, this event comes with plenty of cosmetics for players to earn. Its major milestones include two Wolverine skins and “Deadpool’s Super Secret Costume.”
Marvel: Contest of Champions
This 2014 mobile fighting game from Kabam had a minor event to celebrate the release of Deadpool and Wolverine. In May, the game also welcomed a fan favorite from the Deadpool movies to its roster: Teenage Negasonic Warhead.
Marvel Puzzle Quest
Fans of 505 Games’ 2013 mobile puzzle game can enter this giveaway for their chance to earn movie ticket and Deadpool and Wolverine-themed in-game rewards. The five grand prize winners will receive a $100 movie theater digital gift card.
Marvel Studios Deadpool and Wolverine hits theaters this Friday, July 26.
