Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man 2 is set to feature both web-slingers from the developer’s continuity, which may have repercussions on a dedicated sequel to Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The spin-off had a relatively limited scope when compared to its predecessor, but the stories of Peter Parker and Miles Morales are so intertwined that the single trailer released for Spider-Man 2 thus far shows the two side-by-side as new villains threaten New York City. It’s unclear how the two co-stars will share gameplay roles in Spider-Man 2, but the apparent merger after only one game dedicated to Miles brings into question whether or not he’ll get another standalone opportunity.
Miles Morales is a major component of the story that began in Spider-Man, and even hints at map changes in Spider-Man 2, but it would be somewhat a shame if Miles (and Peter, for that matter) had to share the spotlight from now on. The PlayStation 5 launch title is thoroughly considered a spin-off, but it’s nearly as long as its predecessor, and involves a cast of characters that are just as compelling. Peter Parker can still be viewed as the primary Spider-Man, though, and the events of Miles Morales only transpired because Peter left NYC to help Mary Jane cover the civil war in Symkaria for the Daily Bugle.
The fate of future, standalone Miles Morales games largely depends on Spider-Man 2 and what happens to both heroes. Very few details are known about the sequel, which is slated to release sometime in 2023, but it will almost assuredly build off of Miles Morales‘ gameplay. There are many ways Miles Morales is better than Peter Parker in Insomniac’s games, and with both expected to be playable in Spider-Man 2, the latter will certainly receive some upgrades to be on par with Miles and his bio-electric Venom powers (so far unrelated to the symbiote of the same name teased to appear in the upcoming game).
Two Concurrent Spider-Man Series From Insomniac Seems Unlikely
Although seeing the two web-slingers team up in Spider-Man 2 will be fun, the ideal outcome for players would be two series that progress side-by-side with continued crossovers. Unless another studio is brought in to support Insomniac, this seems improbable. Much more likely is a scenario in which Spider-Man 2 leads to subsequent games that continue to center on both Peter and Miles simultaneously, or the torch is officially passed to Miles at some point. With Insomniac set to develop a game centered on Wolverine – which will hopefully be the most violent X-Men game ever – the studio’s schedule is likely too full to continue separating Peter and Miles, especially if Sony orders more from the developer’s other properties, like another Ratchet & Clank or the return of Resistance.
Miles getting his own game in 2020 seems to indicate he will be more than just a side character in Insomniac’s Marvel continuity going forward, but if he were to get another solo game, it may come at the expense of Peter Parker. With the long history comic books, it’s not uncommon for heroes to be killed off, and the death of Insomniac’s Peter Parker would certainly be one way Miles Morales becomes the series’ main character. Insomniac hasn’t shied away from character deaths, but they’ve also set up an older Peter who could conceivably retire from vigilantism now that Miles is coming into his own. There’s always the potential for other web-slingers to join Insomniac’s universe too, but the games foreshadowing the rise of Green Goblin seems to indicate that Peter’s story is far from over in Spider-Man 2. For now it seems Miles is destined to continue at least partially in Peter’s shadow, but it’s possible he gets another standalone game in the future, though it may not necessarily be a Spider-Man: Miles Morales sequel.
