Despite not actually being a confirmed title, the sequel to Marvel and Sony's Spider-Man is one that you can almost guarantee will happen. The potential release of the highly-anticipated follow-up isn't expected for more than a year, so none of the rumors circulating around the game will be legitimized for a long time.
Regardless, there are plenty of rumors. From a series of leaks across Reddit and other sites, fans have a small taste at what the game's setting, gameplay, and villains might be. As we look at five rumors we hope are true, as well as five that we hope are not, keep in mind that, at the end of the day, they are just rumors.
10 Want: Setting
One of the simple details of the sequel that fans are dying to know is the setting in which it takes place. Obviously, the game will take place around New York City, however, the timing of the events will be slightly different.
The sequel is set to pick up about five or six months after the point we left off. Peter Parker is still mourning the loss of his Aunt May, now living with Mary Jane. Unlike the first game, this one is set to showcase some seasonal changes, where we'll finally get to see Spider-Man in a New York City winter. Whether or not that holds true we'll have to see, but it would be nice to see a constantly changing landscape for players to swing through and explore.
9 Don't Want: 2021 Release
Obviously, great games take time to create. However, for anyone who was a fan of the first game or simply just a massive Spider-Man fan, it'll be tough to wait until the end of 2021 for the sequel to release. As of right now, with no actual confirmation for the game from either Sony or Marvel, we basically just have to take what we can get. With the rumored release date we have, though, it should be safe to assume that the announcement of the sequel will take place sometime later this year and likely alongside the official reveal of the PS5.
8 Want: Expanded Map
An aspect of Spider-Man we can all agree needed to be changed heading into the sequel is the map. That's not to say that the map of the original game wasn't beautifully detailed and wildly immersive, but it did need some kind of upgrade for players to get to explore.
According to the leaks, that upgrade is coming in the form of added New York boroughs. Queens and Brooklyn, specifically, are the locations being added to the map. It's not exactly clear if that means we'll have a chance to explore all of Manhattan along with Queens and Brooklyn, or if only the latter two will make up the entire map.
7 Don't Want: Low-Level Villains
One of the best parts of the original Spider-Man PS4 game was the extensive list of classic Spider-Man villains. Some, like Doc Ock, obviously played a much larger role while others like Vulture, Rhino, and Electro were sort of the lower-tier villains that led up to the bosses. It seems like the sequel will follow this same kind of villain construct.
So far, most of the villains that have been linked in the rumors are iconic characters that have to play some kind of major role in the game. The lower-tier villains that have been rumored are really just Cardiac and Lizard. Although they'll likely just be build-up villains that stand in the way of the player and the boss fights, they still aren't exactly great names. Hopefully, there will be some more names to fight alongside those two, just as there were about four low-level villains in the original.
6 Want: Updated Miles Gameplay
The growth of Miles Morales into Spider-Man is set to be a major focus of the Spider-Man sequel. Miles' role in the original game was significant but was muted to simple side missions with little to no combat. In the sequel, however, we're undoubtedly going to see the gameplay for Miles get a massive overhaul. Although he'll still set to be a secondary character to Peter Parker, he should have many more playable missions, hopefully fighting together with Peter. It may be a stretch as well, but we could even get a sneak preview at Peter teaching Miles to swing around the city.
5 Don't Want: Little Villain Carryover
Out of all the leaks for the Spider-Man sequel, none have given any sort of indication that any of the villains from the original will be making a return. With Otto Octavius and the rest of the Sinister Six seemingly locked up, the only villains we'll be seeing in the sequel are new ones. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it would be nice to know that all the incredible classic villains from the original game aren't to be wasted on just one game. It'd also be amazing to see a character like Doc Ock reincorporated into a Sinister Six more accurate to the original comics.
4 Want: Classic Major Villains
While we're on the topic of classic villains, it's probably a good time to address all the villains that have been leaked to appear in the Spider-Man sequel. To start, the end-credit scene of the last game made it fairly obvious that Venom is set to make an appearance, likely as the game's main villain.
There are several other classic Spider-Man villains set to make their debuts alongside Venom. Among that list includes Carnage, Green Goblin, and Mysterio. The latter two were teased in the original game through hidden details, but are likely to take on much bigger roles in the sequel. All in all, the leaked villains of the sequel are set to make the game yet another hit, showing us more classic Spider-Man rivalries.
3 Don't Want: Harry Osborn As Venom
Although there's no doubt that it'll be incredible to get to play as Spider-Man as he takes on Venom, it is going to be a much different story than most of us are used to. In this version, it seems as though Harry Osborn will take on the form of a Venom-like creature. It's still unclear how they plan on incorporating the actual symbiote to create both Venom and Carnage.
It does seem like an interesting take on the Venom character and one we've never seen before. However, it's also been leaked that Eddie Brock is supposed to appear in the sequel game. The relationship between Spider-Man and Venom has always worked so well because of the rivalry between Parker and Brock. Only time will tell how this unique take on Venom plays out.
2 Want: Expands The Marvel Gaming Universe
One of the bigger rumors surrounding the Spider-Man sequel is that it could help set up a much larger, connected Marvel Gaming Universe. There were plenty of easter eggs in Spider-Man referencing other Marvel characters like the Avengers, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, and many more. It only feels right that the sequel game would actually take those references and make something out of them. It's only speculation considering superhero games are just starting to regain speed, but who could possibly say no to a massive Marvel Gaming Universe?
1 Don't Want: Reworked Web Swinging
Last, but not least, we get to one of the more significant leaks that could seriously affect the sequel. Apparently, the creative developers at Insomniac are completely restructuring the web-swinging engine of the game.
Instead of just the basic web-swinging that we experienced in the original game, the sequel will feature three different web-swinging settings for players to choose from. You'll be able to choose from realistic, arcade, and hybrid. Realistic will be the most accurate web-swinging setting, while arcade will offer some assistance to players as they swing through the city. Finally, hybrid will blend the two settings into one. It's not exactly that we don't want this in the game, but it could completely alter the smooth web-swinging players experienced in the original game.