If all the recent information unearthed from Insomniac’s malicious hack is to be believed and is still in the works, it seems as if Marvel’s Spider-Man might not have a lot left on its plate as Marvel’s Wolverine and other future endeavors take precedence. Even so, Insomniac has developed its Marvel’s Spider-Man canon with branching paths it could take thereafter, many of which may have already been teased or alluded to in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Some parts of Marvel’s Spider-Man’s future appear certain, such as Mary Jane Watson continuing to have a crucial presence in the story, as well as Peter Parker potentially retiring his tights.

There’s been no confirmation that Peter is wrapping up his crime-fighting career in Marvel’s Spider-Man any time soon, but Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 doesn’t make pushing him out the door seem subtle, either. The game opening with Peter in a new, dedicated career as an instructor shows that plans are in place for Peter to make something of his mild-mannered life, for example, even if his stint as a physics teacher is extinguished as quickly as it’s introduced. But no matter what Peter has planned for the future, one unexpected yet nostalgic outcome would already be ideal for Insomniac’s particular gameplay standards.

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Marvel’s Spider-Man Loves Playable Characters Who are Powerless

Each Marvel’s Spider-Man game thus far has included at least one sequence where a character didn’t need to don a mask in order to be playable. Marvel’s Spider-Man originally made an intentional choice to feature characters who were powerless but no less impactful in the story, Mary Jane and Miles Morales, while Peter was also playable in civilian clothing, for instance.

To Insomniac, this perspective is equally as important as the experience of web-swinging through Marvel’s Spider-Man’s open-world New York City. That said, these sequences—which ultimately boil down to drawn-out stealth segments most of the time—obviously can’t always be as engaging as moments where players are juggling enemies midair or enjoying epic set pieces.

They’ll probably be divisive as long as Insomniac chooses to include them, but it also can’t back down now after making Mary Jane as prominent and paramount as she is in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2—nor should it. In fact, a third entry now gives Insomniac an opportunity it hasn’t capitalized on yet despite how match-made it is for gameplay where costumes and abilities aren’t necessary: The Amazing Spider-Man’s “Spider-Man No More!” comic storyline.

Peter Parker Losing His Abilities Could Be a Layup for Powerless Gameplay

The “No More” storyline was adapted famously in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and seeing it adapted even loosely in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 could be thrilling and unpredictable. As it stands, the assumption is that Peter will willingly quit being Spider-Man to pursue personal and philanthropic efforts, rather than deciding to give up being Spider-Man as a result of self-perceived failures or disingenuity.

This way, Miles could be the sole Spider-Man alongside Cindy Moon’s Silk and Peter being playable but not as another Spider-Man would be genuinely justifiable.

It would also make sense purely from the standpoint of Peter being teased to take a backseat and let Miles be New York’s lone Spider-Man for a while, where losing his powers would make him required to take a backseat instead of choosing to, if Insomniac is worried about making Peter seem complacent or naive about how much the city needs him. Plus, like in the “No More” storyline, Peter could apparently snap out of this funk and join the fray alongside his pals whenever he wants.