Summary
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2had some surprises in store for players when it came to dissecting a relatively packed narrative. That said,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2wore a lot on its sleeve in terms of what it would deliver, leaving it wide open to transparent speculation. It was speculated that Venom would be playable and that Peter would be fought in his own boss fight, for example, with both instances being correct. It was also speculated that Venom could receive his own‘half-sequel,’though the jury seems out on whether that will come to fruition.
In fact, such a standalone game was publicly acknowledged right around the time of the sequel’s release, getting out in front of fans who would soon learn that Venom was playable in the game themselves. This acknowledgment suggested that a Venom spin-off or standalone entry was already being considered by Insomniac, where slotting in another half-sequel between main installments would make sense and create a discernible pattern. However, a Venom game seems highly unlikely now due tohow definitivelyMarvel’s Spider-Man 2ends.
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Harry Osborn is Out of Commission Once Again
When all is said and done,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2essentially ends in the same place thatMarvel’s Spider-Manended—Harry is unconscious again, albeit in a coma this time, with Norman desperate to find a cure. Therefore, the obvious answer for why a Venom spin-off wouldn’t make sense is because the monstrous villain’s host is unavailable.
Venom in Insomniac’s universe is now intrinsically tethered to Harry as the symbiote’s bonded host, meaning that a different host would likely result in something different. Of course, Insomniac has taken many liberties with thesymbiote’s lore forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, so there’s no truly no rule book to ascribe the symbiotes moving forward in the franchise until concrete details are made explicit, such as symbiotes clearly being immune to fire.
Peter and Miles Seemingly Destroyed the Symbiotes
If that alone wasn’t enough of a reason, though, it seems as though frying the meteorite in the particle accelerator disintegrated all symbiotes besidesPeter’s Anti-Venom threads. There’s an odd loophole in that as well, meaning that there could surely be some explanation as to why a wad of symbiote tissue could have survived elsewhere somehow—particularly with how symbiote nests could appear throughout the city afterward. Still, Insomniac would have its work cut out for it in not retconning anything in order to rationalize Venom returning for a half-sequel beforeMarvel’s Spider-Man 3launches.
Likewise, if Insomniac tried to have the spin-off set during the events ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, there simply wouldn’t be a great enough amount of time to do anything with the character besides perhaps mindlessly batting around hordes of enemies somewhere. That alone couldn’t possibly justifyaMiles Moraleshalf-sequel’s worth of gameplay, even if it presented a power fantasy fans would appreciate.
An Eddie Brock Host Would Seem Random Now
If the standalone game was going to take place in the present day, besides needing to have a reason for why Peter or Miles wouldn’t be alerted to symbiotes beginning to invade again, the symbiote would need another host in which it could become the symbiotic Venom. Otherwise, the spin-off wouldn’t revolve around Venom in particular, but another symbiote menace.
Eddie Brock Jr. has always been a viable host candidate in the comics, for instance, and yet it seems like Insomniac has firmly decided that he’ll have nothing to do with the symbiotes in its Marvel universe. Suddenly stating that any host could manifest Venom would take away from the unique bond it shares with Harry, too.
It’s odd that Insomniac would tease a Venom half-sequel when it laid out such a definitive conclusion for the character, at least without any reasonable loose threads to pull at for the purposes of a spin-off game.
It would be much more plausible ifThe Flame’s Carnagewas revealed to have his own half-sequel instead since he is teased as an upcoming villain, but then again there are many routes for potential DLC, half-sequels, and full-fledged sequels that Insomniac could take with theMarvel’s Spider-Manfranchise. Symbiotes, however, have apparently dwindled down to Cletus’ sample, making that the only sensible choice at the moment.
Still, Insomniac would have its work cut out for it in not retconning anything to rationalize Venom returning for a half-sequel beforeMarvel’s Spider-Man 3launches.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.Explore an expansive Marvel’s New York with faster web-swinging and the all-new Web Wings, quickly switching between Peter and Miles to experience different stories, epic new abilities and high-tech gear.Wield Peter’s symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric powers in battle against new and iconic Marvel Super Villains – including an original take on a symbiote-infused Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and more from the Marvel Rogues’ Gallery.
