When the likes of Iron Man, Black Widow, Hulk, and Thor reunite in Crystal Dynamic's upcoming Marvel's Avengers game published by Square Enix, plenty of other Avengers will be missing in action. But Associate Art Director Jeff Adams confirmed in a Monday afternoon PlayStation Blog post that Spider-Man would swing his way onto the scene at some point in 2021.
Don't get your hopes up for the epic, Sony-exclusive crossover this should have been, however, because it won't be the version of Spider-Man you've dreamt of ever since Marvel's Avengers was announced.
"I get to be the first to announce that our own Crystal Dynamics take on Spider-Man is teaming up with Ms. Marvel, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Black Widow of Marvel’s Avengers," Adams wrote in the PS Blog post. This will be the Crystal Dynamics "take" rather than the Insomniac Games take from the superb 2018 Marvel's Spider-Man game.
Square Enix's Avengers Project game was originally announced as a partnership with Marvel way back in January 2017, but especially after the PS4 exclusive Spider-Man game was such a hit, it felt like a no-brainer that Sony might figure out a way to make these two games cross over in some fashion. There are plenty of details in the Spider-Man game that let us know that the Avengers exist in this world and with a remastered version slated for release on the PlayStation 5 with a Miles Morales spin-off, it seems like a natural way to expand the franchise moving forward.
But despite the farfetched dream that Insomniac Games and Crystal Dynamics might somehow figure out a collaboration, these two Marvel gaming universe will have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Sony owns all the rights to Spider-Man, which explains why the games are PlayStation exclusives, why the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the character is part of a contentious agreement between Disney and Sony, and why this latest collaboration will also remain exclusive to Sony consoles.
"We can’t wait for you to add Spider-Man to your Marvel’s Avengers roster in early 2021," the blog post reads, "and as we’ve promised before, he will be available at no additional cost to owners of the base game, exclusively on PlayStation."
Based on comments from Adams, the Crystal Dynamics version of Spider-Man will more closely resemble the novice hero from the MCU than he does the veteran from Marvel's Spider-Man. He calls this hero "a familiar but fresh Spider-Man who needs to evolve to take on global threats alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes," citing one comics storyline where Spider-Man hunts down a robber in the suburbs. It's a bit that was also adapted into Spider-Man: Homecoming.
We're reaching peak saturation in terms of the number of Spider-Men (Spider-Mans?) out there. Not only have three actors played the character in live-action over the past two decades, but there's also Into the Spider-Verse's multiple iterations to consider, along with these various iterations of the character in gaming. While the prospect of yet another sounds a bit exhausting, at least Crystal Dynamics seemingly wants to emulate what the 2018 Insomniac game was going for with its fluid combat and travel mechanics.
"When he’s arcing through the air on his web line, we want you to feel graceful and light, and be able to utilize a variety of web configurations and gadgets to enhance your traversal," Adams writes. "Spider-Man’s impressive acrobatic abilities will complement the experience, allowing you to seamlessly transition from navigation to combat." On the plus side, Spidey's inclusion in the game means he'll have access to unique technology resources from "Hank Pym, SHIELD, Stark Industries, and more."
This new version will also have skill trees, allowing players to customize their Spider-Man to fit more unique playstyles. While multiple costumes will be available, the default will resemble the classic design with the under-arm web wings.
All things considered, this is cause for excitement, but Crystal Dynamics is coming up against some severely tough competition. Whatever they do with Spider-Man, can it compare to what Insomniac Games does? We'll have to wait until next year to find out.
Marvel's Avengers will be released September 4, 2020.
