Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra could potentially launch around Christmas 2025, as suggested by the Black Panther.

Marvel 1943: Rise Of Hydra might release at Christmas according to Khary Payton, who voices the Black Panther in the upcoming World War 2-set action game. It’s the first morsel of release info we’ve garnered for Rise Of Hydra since its announcement last March, which tantalised with the prospect of playing USO Show-era Steve Rogers and Azzuri, great-grandfather to the current Black Panther.

In the works at Skydance New Media alongside an untitled Star Wars game, Rise Of Hydra had been slated to launch in 2025. Speaking to The Direct, Payton suggested that it might be a holiday release, landing after Call Of Duty season and just in time for the nostalgic yuletide period. “We’re still working,” he hummed and hypothesised. “We’re planning on 2025… We’re thinking like a Christmas situation. But I’m so excited.”

I’m not wildly keen myself to play another Marvel game. The expanded Marvel universe as it stands is a kaleidoscopic hangover following the success of the Avengers movies, with no clear heir to the throne just yet. Nor am I especially happy to be back in the shoes of OG Steve Rogers, a recruitment poster character rescued from his own can-do heroism by Chris Evans knowing how to do comedy. Yeah, you comicbook readers probably have a more nuanced take on Marvel’s current activities. By all means come at me.

I’ll forgive Rise Of Hydra all that, though, because Skydance New Media’s president is former Naughty Dog creative director Amy Hennig, and she directed Soul Reaver. I will forgive Amy Hennig anything, because she directed Soul Reaver. If Amy Hennig were to brain me with a vase, filch my debit card and blow my life savings on Fantastic Four figurines, I would tell the police not to stress about it, because she directed Soul Reaver. If Amy Hennig were to tunnel back through time and humiliate me elaborately by inviting my favourite Sonic The Comic artist to come see me fall into a cauldron of stale baked beans while being rejected by my primary school sweetheart, I would sob gratefully in the knowledge that one day, Amy Hennig is going to direct Soul Reaver.

Perhaps she will even work on another Soul Reaver game, if we can only get her through the Marvel period in her career.