Marvel’s Avengers Could Include Skins Exclusive to Intel and Verizon Customers

Leaked photos posted on Reddit and Twitter suggest that Marvel’s Avengers will offer character skins based on various phone service providers, technology companies, and even chewing gum.

The Reddit photos reveal what appears to be a set of red and black outfits for the main Marvel’s Avengers heroes as well as a couple of screenshots that suggest that the addition of these outfits will be tied into promotions with Verizon and Virgin Mobile. Both of those companies utilize similar color schemes, so the popular guess at the moment is that the difference will probably come down to what region you’re in and which provider you have access to.

The first photo features the main Avengers in some of their earlier costumes and other creative outfits. A second photo suggests that these photos are somehow connected to a promotion with Intel.

That’s not all. Twitter user @PlayAvenger has posted some screenshots and additional information that suggests that Marvel’s Avengers will also feature a promotion with 5Gum which will allow you to unlock various costumes, emotes, and other in-game items. It sounds like that promotion may be based on buying packs of 5Gum in order to unlock everything, but the details are not available at this time. We also don’t know the details of how you’ll unlock the Verizon/Virgin Mobile and Intel skins, as none of these promotions have been officially confirmed.

Right now, though, the most popular theory (and worry) is that these skins will require you to purchase a product outside of the game. The phone carrier skins may require you to be a subscriber, while the Intel skins are rumored to be associated with Intel’s upcoming processors. As we mentioned, it also sounds like you’ll unlock the 5Gum cosmetics by buying packs of gum.

If that does prove to be the case, then we’d argue that these promotions could cause some consumer concern. We already knew that the PlayStation versions of Marvel’s Avengers will be the exclusive home of Spider-Man, and it now sounds like that could be far from the only piece of in-game content exclusively available to those who purchase a particular product.

As for the game itself, we found that the Marvel’s Avengers‘ beta showcased a game that could be generously described as a work-in-progress. So far as that goes, it would be frustrating to learn that plans for such promotions are already in place before the game is ready to start living up to some considerable expectations.