Marvel's Avengers Launch Details: Early Access, Day One Patch, DLC Characters, And More

Square Enix's coming Marvel's Avengers game releases this Friday, September 4, on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Stadia, but you don't necessarily need to wait until then to play it. Early access for the game begins on September 1, and whenever you do start playing, you can expect a day one patch to be waiting for you. Below, we've rounded up all of the information you need to know regarding launch. PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia players can get into early access now; be sure to check out the minimum and recommended specs if you're playing on PC.

When Do Servers Go Live?

Anyone who pre-orders Marvel's Avengers will get 72-hour early access to the game. Marvel's Avengers servers went live on September 1 for eligible players. Anyone who received access should now be able to play, although Square Enix has confirmed that some Deluxe edition players are having issues getting in. It hasn't provided a solution for this yet, but it says to follow the Twitter thread below for updates.

Day One Patch And One-Time Internet Activation

For anyone who buys the game physically, Square Enix said an 18 GB day one patch will be required to download. The digital version will include the patch alongside the download, though it's unclear if the patch is the same size. Additionally, players will have to connect to the internet at least once to initiate the download. Otherwise, unless players want to access online multiplayer, a persistent internet connection is not required.

The patch itself, according to Square Enix, includes "several updates and refinements that are required for play." It also features localization files for dialogue, bug fixes, updates, and tuning from the beta weekends.

72-Hour Early Access For Pre-Orders

Those who pre-order the PlayStation Store Exclusive Digital Edition ($70) or Deluxe Edition ($80) will receive 72-hour early access to Marvel's Avengers. This means players will be able to access the game as early as Tuesday, September 1. It will unlock at midnight your local time on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and at 9 AM PT on PC and Stadia. Pre-orders will be live until September 1.

Elsewhere in the info dump, the company outlined the Square Enix Member account, which is how players will access post-launch content and redeem promotional pre-launch codes. This includes new heroes, missions, regions, and more. Those who participated in any of the Marvel's Avengers beta weekends will already have an account tied to their game profile. Everyone else can sign-up for an account for free, and doing so nets you an exclusive Thor nameplate. The membership is required to play the Avengers Initiative co-op missions.

DLC Characters

We already know at least two of the characters coming to Avengers post-launch. Kate Bishop will be the first in October, the first in a two-part story arc that will then lead to Clint Barton, the other Hawkeye, in November.

Dataminers have seemingly unearthed information that suggests the game may feature as many as 15 additional heroes. Alongside Spider-Man, who is a PlayStation exclusive, the list includes Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, Doctor Stranger, Mockingbird, She-Hulk, and Black Panther, among others. Crystal Dynamics may have planned a Black Panther reveal for the latest Avengers War Table, but noted at the start of its stream that it had altered its plans out of respect for Chadwick Boseman, the late actor who played the character in the Marvel cinematic universe.