It’s official. Marvel’s Spider-Man is coming back, but not in the exact same way as before. Starting off Sony’s PS5 game reveal event on a high note is confirmation that the followup to Insomniac Games’ 2018 superhero hit is Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which is coming to the PlayStation 5 later this year.
Like the name suggests, this time around players are ditching the iconic red-and-blue suit of Peter Parker for the black-and-red of fellow Spidey Miles Morales, who, after serving as a side-character in the previous game, is now stepping into the spotlight. This makes for the second time Miles has been put in a starring role outside of the comics, following the popular 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and something many fans were hoping to see in the sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man.
Similarly to Spider-Verse, it looks like Spider-Man: Miles Morales will focus on Miles as he sets out to prove himself as both a Spider-Man and a hero. While the announcement trailer doesn’t go into any real detail about how the story will play out (or how Peter will factor into it), it does tease high stakes for the rookie webslinger, as dramatically evidenced by the opening shot of Miles struggling to push back an electric object as it fries his suit and mask.
Gameplay-wise, the game appears to stick closely to Insomniac's established formula, with brief shots showing off a mix of open-world exploration, frenetic combat, and action-packed setpieces similar to what Marvel's Spider-Man had to offer. This time, however, players won’t just have the classic suite of web-based abilities at their disposal, but Miles' unique spider-themed powers as well, which include the ability to camouflage himself and stun enemies with an electric jolt.
Other than that, the trailer doesn’t offer much in the way of additional information to go off of, but back in April there was a hefty rumor regarding the PS5’s Spider-Man game. If it’s to be believed (and it’s worth reminding that this should be taken with a grain of salt), the game will also boast more substantial side-quests, dynamic open-world objectives, and a dynamic weather system, something the trailer’s glimpses of a snow-covered New York City seem to support.
Given the relatively small gap between the game’s announcement and its release, there’s also the question of whether it’s actually a full-on sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man or simply a standalone expansion (think Uncharted: The Lost Legacy). The aforementioned leak suggested that the next Spidey game would center around Peter Parker and the Venom symbiote instead of Miles, so it’s possible that this new game is being released ahead of a direct sequel coming later on. Whatever the case, fans shouldn’t have to wait long to get an idea of its scale.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be released this holiday season for PS5.
