How Marvel Games got its groove back

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy winning Best Narrative was one of the biggest surprises of the 2021 Game Awards. Not only was the category absolutely stacked — featuring serial 10/10 earner Deathloop and eventual Game of the Year winner It Takes Two — but Marvel titles not released by Insomniac Games were known for being critical disappointments. So it was a huge achievement for _Guardians_to take the category, beating out games that were far and away easy favorites.

The win was validation for Jay Ong, EVP of Marvel Games, and his team’s long-term strategy for becoming “the world’s best creative consultancy” by partnering with developers that make games that resonate with fans.

“This was a huge win,” Ong told The Verge. “A key thing was...