Marvel's Avengers: Every Post-Launch Character Will Have a $10 Battle Pass

Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have revealed more details on Marvel's Avengers gear, cosmetics, vendors, marketplace, and the premium Hero Challenge Cards, which will cost $10 for each free, post-launch character. This explainer on Gear and Cosmetics began by reiterating that all future updates - including new characters, story content, missions, and regions - will be available for free for all players. Furthermore, while there will be cosmetic content that will be purchasable with real money, it will be aesthetic-only and will not impact gameplay in any way. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-hero-challenge-cards-vendors-and-marketplace&captions=true"]

Marvel Avenger's Hero Challenge Cards and Marketplace

One of the biggest ways to earn a ton of cosmetics is through the Hero Challenge Cards. Each card has 40 tiers of free and premium rewards that are earned by Challenge Points gained from completing daily and weekly challenges. The premium Hero Challenge Card rewards for all six starting heroes - Iron Man, Kamala Khan, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Black Widow - will be activated for free for all who own Marvel's Avengers. All post-launch character's premium Hero Challenge Cards, however, will cost $10 (1,000 credits) to activate. Although, if you complete the entire card, you will earn back your 1,000 Credit activation cost and earn over 12,500 Credits worth of content. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/10/marvels-avengers-review-in-progress"] This means that post-launch character's like Clint Barton's Hawkeye and Spider-Man - who is PS4 exclusive - will be free for all players, and only extra cosmetics and their premium Hero Challenge Card will cost real-world money. Marvel's Avengers will also feature a Marketplace that will feature "purchasable cosmetics in the form of Outfits, Emotes, Takedowns, and Nameplates." Credits will also be required to purchase these items, and a 500 credit pack will cost you $5.00. Credits will come in packs of 500, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000, with bonus credits rewarded for the bigger packs. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/05/avengers-spider-man-exclusivity-is-good-for-playstation-bad-for-players-opinion"]

Cosmetics and Vendors

Cosmetic items come in four different varieties - Outfits, Emotes, Takedowns, and Nameplates - and many can be earned, crafted, or purchased from vendors. Vendors are narrative-based store operators who set up shop around Marvel's Avengers game world. They will sell Cosmetics, Gear, and Rare Resources in exchange for Units and common Resources. Speaking of Resources, these can be found in-game and will allow you to upgrade your gear. Patterns can also be earned through play and can be used at Fabrication Machines to create an Outfit or Nameplate. Lastly, Units are Marvel's Avengers "soft-currency", which means it is in-game digital currency that has no real-world value and can be found in strongboxes or as rewards for increasing your Faction Level. Gear Vendors will sell you character-specific Gear and Resources in exchange for Fragments, which can be earned by collecting and dismantling Gear. Gear choices will rotate daily and weekly. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/24/marvels-avengers-launch-trailer"] Cosmetic Vendors will take Units from the player in exchange for Outfits, Emotes, and Nameplates. Legendary Outfits will rotate weekly, while Nameplates, Emotes, and Epic & Rare Outfits rotate daily. Marvel's Avengers will be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia on September 4, 2020. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will also be released later this year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-character-combat-breakdown&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.