Sony's PlayStation Showcase 2021 included a slew of new trailers, but few caught the eye like the one for Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Featuring both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, the trailer for the upcoming game also included up-close cutaways of the spider suit and an ominous Venom lurking in the shadows.
Unfortunately, you're going to have to wait to find out what else there is to Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Helmed by Insomniac Games — which developed the last two Spider-Man offerings — we won't see this title until next year. When Marvel's Spider-Man 2 does arrive, it looks like you'll be able to take on the role of one or both Spider-Men — Peter Parker and Miles Morales, fresh from his 2020 solo adventure in Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales — as they take on their biggest threat yet: the symbiote Venom.
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Here's everything we know to date about Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 release window
At the moment, Marvel's Spider-Man has a release window of sometime in 2023. No additional specifics have been provided at this time, though there's almost certainly additional footage and announcements on the way that should detail a more concrete release plan.
Given that Insomniac Games shipped the excellent Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart just a few months ago, the team probably hasn't had a ton of time to dive deep into this new Spider-Man game.
Not only that, the developers are working on Marvel's Wolverine, which was also unveiled during the 2021 PlayStation Showcase.
Spider-Man is now a major Sony exclusive title, we'd expect Spider-Man 2 to land in the holiday of 2023, ready to compete with whatever juggernauts both Microsoft and Nintendo release in the coming year. We also expect Spider-Man 2 to release only on PS5, forgoing a PS4 port.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 trailer
The first Marvel's Spider-Man 2 trailer dropped during September's PlayStation Showcase presentation. There was no introduction, which meant viewers were likely caught by surprise by the totally unexpected announcement — a bit of a surprise for fans who may not have expected a follow-up so soon.
The show included a short clip introducing Venom and his gravelly voice, where we see Peter Parker and Miles Morales fighting off squads of enemies in the streets of New York City. It established two different Spideys that will likely have players switching off between them throughout the single-player story before panning to the shadows in a dark alleyway as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales turn to look at the darkness. Then, a reveal: Venom, snarling at the camera before a cut to his iconic logo.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 gameplay
We’ve yet to see any new gameplay from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The only footage shown during its debut trailer appeared to be pre-rendered, with no actual gameplay showcased to give fans a taste of what to expect. However, it’s quite safe to assume the game will feature much of the same exploration-based gameplay that brings both Spideys around New York City and its familiar landmarks.
It seems that Parker will wear the Iron Spider suit from the Spider-Man: Homecoming movie. Morales' venom bio-electric shock powers will also make a return in Spider-Man 2. Since there are two Spider-Men in Spider-Man 2, it looks like there will be some tag-team combos.
Both previous Spider-Man games allowed for copious web-slinging from high-rise to high-rise, with story missions and optional quests sprinkled throughout the city, bookended by story scenes, street fights, and challenging boss encounters. These games are single-player focused, and reward those who want to collect hidden goodies and look at everything the game offers and lays out before them.
Considering the game isn’t coming out until 2023, it’ll likely be some time until we see any meaningful gameplay.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 story
Insomniac Games has yet to divulge any official details regarding what we can expect from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. We do know we can expect the game to at least follow from the narrative that unfolded in the original game in 2018 and the side story Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
From the voiceover, it seems that whoever the symbiote is using has an Eastern European accent of some sort. It's possible that this character is Kraven. Not only is this character from Russia, he's always complaining about finding an equal he can battle. This is all speculation, of course, until we get confirmation from Insomniac and Sony.
Is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 coming to PS4?
Unfortunately for fans who have yet to buy a PS5, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will not be releasing in tandem on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, at present. Insomniac Games' Ryan Schneider, Head of Franchise Strategy & Studio Relations, confirmed as such via the official PlayStation Blog. The game will be a PS5 exclusive — it appears that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is being built from the ground-up as a next-gen experience.
Previously, Marvel’s Spider-Man originally released on PlayStation 4, and then later made its way to the PS5 alongside Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. It doesn’t appear that anything similar will happen with this entry in the PlayStation Spider-Man universe.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 outlook
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is going to be a huge game in Sony's exclusive portfolio. Bringing together both Parker and Morales into the same game will also be what fans of the comics have been craving.
The great thing with superhero games, as opposed to movies, is that there's a lot more room to bring in lesser known characters and villains. If Kraven is the main antagonist of the game, then Insomniac likely is going deep into Spider-Man lore to help bring a rich and fully realized world.
From what we can recall, Spider-Man games have always taken place in Manhattan. But with the speed and power of the PS5, it would be great if the other boroughs of New York opened up, like Queens, the Bronx or Brooklyn.
Either way, graphically, the game looks sharp and fantastic. We can't wait to dive in when the game releases sometime in 2023.
