Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra will be releasing a bit later than expected, but on the bright side, the delay offers a good opportunity for the game to align with an iconic milestone for Captain America. As the name implies, Marvel 1943 focuses on a WW2 setting, so it comes as no surprise that the game features Captain America in a starring role. ed by Azzuri, the era-appropriate king and Black Panther of Wakanda, Steve's fight against Hydra takes place in Nazi-occupied Paris.

Although Marvel 1943 never received an official release date, it was eyeing a Holiday 2025 release window, a tidbit pushed back to 2026, which seems like a reasonable delay under the circumstances. While a holiday release could have worked well, it was clearly never set in stone, and taking full advantage of the 2026 release window's unique benefits could make for an equally exciting alternative.

Marvel 1943: Rise Of Hydra Is Releasing In Early 2026

Holiday 2025 Just Didn't Work Out

The release window change for Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra was announced by developer Skydance Games on X. While the update doesn't offer too much in the way of specifics, it does narrow the window to "early 2026," which could hopefully mean within the first fiscal quarter of the year. At any rate, it should be within the first half, and Marvel 1943 will likely want to hit shelves before the launch of GTA 6 sends shock waves throughout the industry on May 26.

According to the tweet, the additional time is being used to "add more polish" and deliver "the best possible experience," statements generic enough to reveal little about the current state of development. No gameplay footage of Marvel 1943 has yet been shown, which had already led to plenty of doubts on its purported 2025 release. The team includes a note that they "look forward to sharing more soon," so hopefully, we can get a better look at what the historical superhero experience has to offer in the near future.

2026 Is The 85th Anniversary Of Captain America

Cap Is A Hero Of His Times

2026, incidentally, marks the 85th anniversary of Captain America Comics #1, the issue that debuted the patriotic hero in 1941. Technically, the comic hit shelves in December 2025, which could have aligned nicely with the original concept of a holiday release. Thanks to its March 1941 cover date, though, Marvel can be expected to follow its usual pattern and roll out the anniversary fanfare next year.

The 85th anniversary is an undeniable testament to the staying power of Captain America, especially considering the later debuts of most other Marvel characters who attract the most modern attention. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, and plenty of others made their entrance in the 1960s, when Stan Lee, veteran artist Jack Kirby, and other Silver Age talents were reshaping the face of Marvel (and embracing an overarching Marvel banner for the first time). Captain America mounted a comeback in that same era, but he's been around for much longer.

Incidentally, 2026 will mark 15 years since Captain America: Super Soldier, a First Avenger tie-in that served as Cap's last major solo outing in games.

Beyond just the "Oh, that's neat" factor, Captain America's 85th anniversary could provide a meaningful boost to the game's marketing. With Captain America: Brave New World having already been released in 2025, Marvel 1943 is essentially the blockbuster Captain America project for 2026. Timed and branded correctly, it could easily be positioned as a celebration of his legacy, especially when returning to the WW2 setting in which the character was originally conceived.

That isn't to say that Marvel 1943 is focusing on a return to roots, and occupied Paris is a very different context from the U.S.-set stories that appeared in Captain America Comics #1. It's certainly true to the original spirit, though. While any number of heroes can take down the alien threats and modern supervillains that might threaten the Avengers, fighting the Nazis and those who them is what Cap was born to do.

Black Panther Also Has A 2026 Comic Anniversary

A Bit Newer, But Still A Veteran

2026 isn't only an anniversary for Captain America, as Black Panther will also be turning 60 next year. While not quite as impressive a number, it's still a major accomplishment, and seeing a hero conceived during a momentous decade for civil rights become a star of global blockbusters in recent years has been particularly rewarding. Rather than debuting in his own series, Black Panther first appeared in Fantastic Four #52, published in July 1966 with a November cover date.

Technically, that anniversary is T'Challa's, and Marvel 1943's Azzuri (also known as T'Chanda) didn't appear until 1993's Fantastic Four Unlimited #1. Even so, the Black Panther is the Black Panther, regardless of who bears the mantle. I'd like to hope that Marvel 1943 will be releasing closer to Captain America's anniversary than to Black Panther's, but if it doesn't launch until summer 2026, it will at least have another fresh milestone to work with.

Either way, I'd like to see Marvel manage to stick this particular landing. The brand has had some struggles with video games, particularly the lackluster live-service effort of Marvel's Avengers, but titles like the Marvel's Spider-Man franchise and Marvel Rivals proved that there's still a huge market for superhero games done well. Marvel 1943 producer Amy Hennig is known for great single-player experiences like the original Uncharted trilogy, and bringing that mix of exciting action and memorable storytelling to a Captain America and Black Panther game sounds like a perfect fit.

While a delay might not be exciting, it should certainly increase the odds that Marvel 1943 can pull off everything it's gunning for. Part of me still mourns the world of classic movie tie-in games, where a mediocre Captain America title could land on shelves right alongside a movie. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, on the other hand, is an incredible example of what a truly great licensed game could be, and if Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra hits a remotely comparable standard, it could be a great way to celebrate Captain America and Black Panther's 2026 anniversaries.