Does Marvel’s Avengers Require an Internet Connection?

We’re only days away from the official launch for Square Enix’s Marvel’s Avengers, which is slated for September 4, 2020. Certain pre-order SKUs, however, do allow access on September 1. While Marvel’s Avengers does have a live service component with additional content planned for the future, at its heart is a single player-friendly campaign. And there is a section of the gaming community that doesn’t always have their consoles connected to the internet, who may be wondering if that’s required for the campaign. The answer is a little more complicated than a straight yes or no, but Square Enix has offered up the details ahead of launch.

Can You Play Marvel’s Avengers Offline?

While Marvel’s Avengers has a heavy multiplayer-oriented structure, you don’t need to play multiplayer at all to get through the campaign. AI will take over for the other heroes in team-based missions if you want to play by yourself. This is also helpful if you aren’t paying for a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live subscription. And, since Marvel’s Avengers has that single-player structure as part of its framework, an active internet connection isn’t required to play the game.

Related: Marvel’s Avengers Publisher Planning “Powerful Add-On Content”

However, there is one key exception. In order to start Marvel’s Avengers, you do have to be connected to the internet when you boot up the game for the first time. Not only does Square Enix require a one-time activation for Marvel’s Avengers, there’s also a substantial Day One patch that’s required to play the full version of the game. The team at Crystal Dynamics have also explained what’s in the patch and why it’s necessary. COVID-19 is one obvious reason, as the transition to a working environment from office to homes has impacted nearly every profession and especially major software development. The patch also includes localization data for the game’s 15 available languages.

It’s also important to note that Marvel’s Avengers has spent the last several weekends playable for beta testing, with Crystal Dynamics stress-testing the game and taking in feedback from players in the wild. Part of this Day One patch is also the team’s way to incorporate that feedback, from game adjustments to bug fixes.

We don’t recommend playing Marvel’s Avengers offline unless totally necessary, due to how active the game will be after launch. If you want to get benefits from having a Square Enix account linked, post-launch content, new customization options and more, you’ll want to keep up with the current state of the game. But if all you’re interested in is the single-player campaign, that’s an option on the table after you get the Day One patch installed.

• Marvel’s Avengers PC System Requirements
• Marvel’s Avengers: Combat Basics
• New Marvel’s Avengers Gameplay Reveals War Zones, the Hulkbuster Suit, and More

Are you one of those gamers who prefers to play their games offline? Are you stoked that Square Enix has made that mostly possible with Marvel’s Avengers? Or are you ready to play the game online as much as you possibly can? Let us know over on the Prima Games Facebook and Twitter channels!