Earth’s most lucrative heroes will reassemble in May 2020 with Marvel’s Avengers, Square Enix announced today, to kick off a story that’ll unfold over several years of updates. Unlike everything else to do with Marvel’s marvelous moneymakers, story additions with new places and characters will be free to all players. Most importantly, yes, it will let you play superheroes with your pals and duff up baddies together in co-op. Come watch the announcement trailer.

Tony Stark done goofed, apparently, causing a disaster that becomes known as “A-Day”. Probably not Arsehole Day, but you never know. So the Avengers disassemble, Cap looks like a gonner, and superheroes are banned until whoops, looks like something worse is coming so it’s time to reassemble. Square Enix say the story has both singleplayer and cooperative missions for up to four heroes. I’m game for that, as long as I get to do the smashing.

“The narrative will be delivered over multiple years, with no random loot boxes or pay-to-win scenarios,” Square Enix say. “Every new Super Hero and region will be delivered to players at no additional cost if you own the core game.”

The initial lineup looks to be Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Black Widow, then more will follow as the adventures continue. They already teased that Hank Pym might be next. One of them. Someone. A shrinkman.

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This looks to be in that confusing netherrealm between the movies and comics, wanting to appeal familiar primarily to moviegoers but also drawing from the world of paper, which I think is a situation that technically creates a hybrid alternate universe where- oh Alice no, don’t start with this nonsense, not at this time of night.

So if story chapters are free, what isn’t? No way Ian Ix is doing the ‘games as service’ dealio without some extra post-purchase cash coming in. I’d wildly guess at alternate costumes, considering even a hero of average might can amass dozens of the devils when left unsupervised for a week or two. If it’s something like that, sure, whatever.

The game’s slated to launch on May 15th, 2020. Marvel’s Avengers is being made by Crystal Dynamics with help from Eidos Montreal, Nixxes Software, and Crystal Northwest.