Superman almost got the ambitious video game fans were craving from Brash Entertainment and Factor 5.
How exactly have we seen four Batman: Arkham games since 2009, but nothing for Superman? Well, it’s not for lack of trying. Almost a decade ago, Factor 5 and Brash Entertainment were building a Superman game they hoped would revolutionize the character for fans and players alike. Sadly, both companies shut down mid-project, and we never got to see what they were working on. Until now, that is.
Originally going by the code name “Blue Steel”, Factor 5’s game was an adaptation for Bryan Singer’s proposed Superman Returns sequel. It aimed to present a far larger scope to Superman‘s world, introducing major villains like Darkseid and Brainiac while balancing flight and combat mechanics that reflected Superman’s powers.
Unfortunately, external decisions beyond Factor 5’s control ended the game prematurely. Brash Entertainment declared bankruptcy and Bryan Singer’s planned sequel was cancelled, leaving the developers without a plot or publisher to work with. Factor 5 made a noble attempt to forge ahead, recreating memorable battles from across Superman’s entire history which could be linked into a story later on. Meanwhile, an internal promotional video showcased a battle between Superman and Doomsday, featuring then-unheard of building destruction physics.
Sadly, Factor 5 couldn’t find a publisher to pick up the project, and seemingly held off paying employees to make ends meet. That went about as well as you’d expect, and the studio closed its doors in 2009. All Factor 5 had to show of this game was its Doomsday promotional video and in-engine test footage, most of which wasn’t fully textured.
Ambitious or not, it’s hard to say how Factor 5’s Superman game would have been received if it obtained its funding. (Getting Superman right has been a challenge for multiple studios after all.) Still, as an unabashed Superman fan, I do love the potential of a Superman Greatest Hits treatment. Here’s hoping with Batman v Superman arriving in theaters soon, Warner Bros will finally give its other great superhero another chance at a major video game.
Source: Screen Rant
