Highlights
- The Spider-Man fan base often overreacts to minor changes or developments in the game, such as graphics or character appearances.
- Miles Morales is set to become the main Spider-Man in the next phase of the game series, but this doesn't mean Peter Parker is being written out completely.
- Peter Parker may take on a smaller role in future games, allowing Miles Morales and potentially Silk to take the lead in new storylines.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.The Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise, for whatever reason, is constantly met with overly harsh criticism from the game’s fan base. First, there was puddlegate, which saw players claiming that the original game received a graphical downgrade, when in reality Insomniac simply changed the lighting in an area from the trailers and moved some water. The complaints about swinging animations and graphics for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 were similarly pointless, as new animations and improved visuals were present in the final game. An unhealthy amount of outrage over movie suits has appeared online, while some are still obsessing over Peter Parker’s face change years later - and bashing Mary Jane's appearance to boot. Now, Miles Morales is being criticized.
As is the case with most superhero games, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 ends with the heroes being victorious. Miles Morales has landed a date with love interest Hailey, while MJ has moved in with Peter Parker so that the couple can move on to the next step of their life together. To have more time with MJ as well as the opportunity to hold down a job, Peter semi-retires, making it clear that he needs some time to himself. Miles Morales then takes over as the main Spider-Man of Insomniac’s universe, something that was confirmed in a recent interview with Gizmodo. However, as has been the case with everything from puddles to Peter’s face model change, the community is overreacting.
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While nothing is confirmed, it feels like the next step for Insomniac Games’ Spidey universe will be to make another Miles Morales game. This would not only give the developer more time to set up Doc Ock’s escape via another post credits scene, just like Venom was teased twice, but it could give Silk the necessary amount of time to develop into a Spider of her own. Much like Peter served as a mentor for Miles, Miles can now use what he learned to mentor Cindy Moon, with the student becoming the master and laying the groundwork for an eventual Silk spin-off.
Miles Morales being the main character of the Marvel’s Spider-Man series going forward does not mean that Peter Parker is going away. Instead, he could just end up in a role that is more comparable to Miles’ own position in the story of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. While Miles takes a bit of a backseat to Peter in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, as it is Peter who has emotional ties to the main villain of the story, he still features heavily in the story. Going forward, Miles could have a bit more screentime and main story focus, while Peter Parker could still be involved, just a bit less integral to the plot. This is hardly a bad thing, as Peter Parker has been around for 60 years and has been the focus of countless stories. Letting Miles take the lead can allow some new tales to be told, which is something Insomniac has been aiming to do thus far.
A Post From Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Director and Community Manager Says It All
Following the outrage at Miles Morales becoming the new main Spider-Man of the series, Insomniac Games’ community manager James Stevenson posted a gif on social media about jumping to conclusions. An obvious nod to players getting angry over a story that has not been told and a game that is surely years away, this gif was then quote Tweeted by Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 director Bryan Intihar. Clearly, these posts are a subtle message to the community that it is going overboard, though such a message really should not be necessary.
Peter Parker has been around for 60 years and has been the focus of countless stories. Letting Miles take the lead can allow some new tales to be told, something Insomniac has been aiming to do.
Considering how the post credits scene for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 features Doc Ock and Norman Osborn - two characters with a vendetta against Insomniac Games’ Peter Parker - it should be common sense that he will feature heavily in the finale of this Marvel’s Spider-Man trilogy. Peter could return to action after these two foes come after him directly, or when Miles calls in backup to defeat them. He is not being completely written out of the story like some fans strangely believe, with even the game’s ending dialogue clearly stating that there will “come a time” where Miles needs his help.
Though Peter will likely be given a rest in another potential Miles Morales spin-off, the final game of the trilogy will undoubtedly feature a good amount of the original Spidey. It will probably just give Miles more to do during the main narrative too, correcting a complaint about him taking a bit of a backseat in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. After that, Peter can fully retire, with Miles and Silk leading future games. Considering how far off the deep end comic book Peter has gone as of late, and how much backlash there has been about that, the notion of him happily retiring with Mary Jane makes for a nice change and really should not be as controversial as it is.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
The sequel to 2018's Spider-Man and its Miles Morales spin-off, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a PS5 console exclusive. Insomniac's open-world game features Peter Parker and Miles Morales as dual protagonists, with the two heroes going up against the likes of Kraven, Venom, and Lizard.
