By Antonio G. Di Benedetto, a writer covering tech deals and The Verge’s Deals newsletter, buying guides, and gift guides. Previously, he spent 15 years in the photography industry.
22.10.2023 - 01:47 / tech.hindustantimes.com / Jim Ryan / Peter Parker / Miles Morales / Sony
To meet its sky-high sales forecasts for the PlayStation 5 this year, Sony Group Corp. will look for help from a superhero.
On Thursday, Sony will release Marvel's Spider-Man 2, its biggest game of the year and one of the most important moments to date for the PS5, which launched in November 2020. During its first two years on the market, Covid-related supply shortages made the PS5 difficult to purchase, and Sony decided to release several lavish PS5 games, such as Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok, on the PlayStation 4 as well — potentially undermining some players' urgency to upgrade. So far, the PS5 has sold around 40 million units, lagging behind the sales of its predecessor.
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This fiscal year, with the supply chain issues resolved, Sony is hoping to sell 25 million PS5s and last week unveiled slimmer new models, aiming to juice purchases over the holiday season. The arrival of Spider-Man 2, one of the first games to be released exclusively on PS5, will also help. The game will be promoted in a sales bundle with the console.
Spider-Man 2, developed by Sony-owned Insomniac Games, is the third installment in the series, following 2018's Spider-Man and 2020's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The first two games have sold more than 33 million copies, making Spider-Man one of the PlayStation's most lucrative franchises, and expectations for the new iteration are running high.
Recent PlayStation games have cost more than $200 million to make, according to Lewis Ward, a research director at the International Data Corp. Ward said the new superhero sequel “may be in that same range.”
“Spider-Man 2 has to be a system seller,” he said.
In the new game, an alien parasite called the “symbiote” infects hero Peter Parker, giving him extra strength but also making him nastier and more aggressive. The symbiote turns out to be a supervillain, known as Venom, that Parker must battle in order to save New York City and, presumably, the world. Befitting the title, Parker is joined by a second Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Together, the duo patrol the city — which now includes not just Manhattan but also Brooklyn and Queens — equipped with all sorts of new gadgets, including a set of wings that augment the traditional web-swinging mode of navigation. (There aren't many buildings to latch onto when you're trying to cross the East River.)
So far, reviewers have been raving, ranking it among the year's best.
The game arrives during a turbulent time for Sony's PlayStation division. Last month, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan announced that he plans to retire at the end of this fiscal year. Meanwhile, chief rival Microsoft Corp. recently closed its $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard
By Antonio G. Di Benedetto, a writer covering tech deals and The Verge’s Deals newsletter, buying guides, and gift guides. Previously, he spent 15 years in the photography industry.
Throughout , the life of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker, is put in perilous jeopardy on numerous occasions. The web-shooting, wall-climbing superhero has seemingly never been so vulnerable in any of his previous bouts, including the showdown with the Sinister Six in Insomniac's first title. Despite the plethora of threats in, Peter is a remarkably resilient character, though at one point his toughness and durability are tested to the extreme. Though an iconic figure, he is far from immortal, a fact that has led many to wonder what happens to Spider-Man in — could he really be killed by Kraven or Venom?
Mary Jane Watson plays a significant role in , both from a narrative perspective as Peter's girlfriend, but also as a temporarily playable character, and most interestingly as part of one of the game's more surprising twists. MJ was introduced to the Spider-Man canon in 1965; since then she has gone on to become Peter Parker's main love interest and the principal beneficiary of his affection in the franchise's many movies, comics, and video games.
A Marvel's Spider-Man 2 player has found a way to transform Peter and Miles' universe into Spider-Man Noir's, with just a few changes in the settings menu.
, while telling its own complete narrative, has set up plenty of plot points for a future entry in the acclaimed superhero series. Although a new entry has yet to be officially announced by Sony or Insomniac Games, it seems inevitable after 's impressive sales, in which the game became the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game in its first 24 hours.
Spider-Man 2's director, Bryan Intihar, has acknowledged that Sandman's inclusion in the sequel is a bit of a plothole thanks to a collectible that could be found in the first game.
Like the first, features a vast array of villains and several exceptional bosses; however, not all of the interactions with bosses are equal in excitement, fun, or difficulty, some of the game's boss battles are far more challenging than others. Though each boss battle in presents a unique set of challenges, a few of these fights will push the player's ability to its very limits.
Spider-Man 2 fans are wondering where the heck Taskmaster is during the events of the campaign, as he can be spotted on Kraven's hunting list but isn't seen or mentioned anywhere else.
By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.
Peter Parker and Miles Morales face several threats in , but the most nightmarish characters from and aren't back for the sequel. Insomniac Games' take on New York City is full of interesting character interactions and Easter eggs. This has helped set the series apart from similar games.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is finally here, and on the cusp of the PlayStation 5’s third birthday, assumes the throne as the console’s most technically impressive game to date.
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Marvel's Spider-Man 2.