Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – Villains, Release Date, And Everything We Know

2023 has been a year of blockbuster game releases so far, but for fans of superhero action, it has been a long wait for everyone’s favorite neighborhood Spider-men to return. One of the more anticipated games in the PlayStation 5 lineup, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, has been developed under a cloud of secrecy since it was first announced in September 2021. Developer Insomniac Games has compared this new chapter in the series to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, describing it as being “a little darker” than the previous games.

Beyond that, very little known about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, save for a handful of details that we’ve gathered below. You can find out more below of the game’s estimated release date, villains, and how the gameplay might be evolving.

Release date

Officially, Sony is aiming for a Fall 2023 release window for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Venom’s in-game voice actor Tony Todd may have accidentally leaked the launch month, as in a now-deleted tweet, he mentioned that a September release date looked “likely.”

If Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is arriving in September, then it’ll be launching five years after the first Spider-Man game and almost three years after its spin-off, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, first hit the scene. Insomniac also developed Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart–which was released in in 2021–so the studio has been very busy with multiple projects over the last couple of years.

A PlayStation Showcase is rumored for summer–or Not-E3 season now that other publishers are filling that void in the wake of E3’s cancellation–which would be the most likely platform for Sony to reveal what’s next for the wallcrawling franchise.

Platforms

Marvel’s Spider-Man originally released on PS4 and later on PS5 in an upgraded version–Miles Morales landed on both PS5 and PS4 at the same time–but for the sequel, last-gen is being left behind. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be exclusive to PlayStation 5, and there’s no word yet on a PC port for the game. Marvel’s Spider-Man was first released on PC via Steam in August 2022, while Miles Morales arrived later that year in November.

Is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 a co-op game?

The only thing better than one Spider-Man is two Spider-Men, and with the reveal trailer hinting at some sort of tag-team action, fans have begun speculating that the sequel will have some form of co-op functionality. For its part, Insomniac has so far only referred to Spider-Man 2 as a single-player game. “We’re so thrilled to continue the journey of both Peter Parker and Miles Morales in their most epic single-player adventure yet,” Insomniac’s Ryan Schneider said in a PS Blog post last year.

How has the gameplay changed?

Peter Parker and Miles Morales may share the proportionate speed, strength, and agility of a spider, but that’s where their respective powers drastically diverge. Marvel’s Spider-Man laid the foundation for acrobatic combat and web-slinging, but while Parker has an arsenal of gadgets to draw from, Morales distinguished himself with bio-electric powers. Those core abilities for both Spider-Men have likely been retained, and while Morales still packs an electrifying punch, Parker’s upgraded suit in the reveal trailer hints at him using his technological expertise to keep up with his protege.

Will Venom appear?

One of Spider-Man’s most enduring villains, Venom, was first teased in the end credits for Marvel’s Spider-Man, and he made a sinister appearance in the reveal trailer for the sequel. This incarnation of Spider-Man’s dark reflection is voiced by none other than the Candyman himself, Tony Todd, and the symbiote appears to have more earthbound origins when compared to its comic book source material.

Which other supervillains can we expect to see?

2018’s Spider-Man game had a new incarnation of the Sinister Six to trade blows with, but so far, only Venom has been confirmed for the Spider-Man 2. While Insomniac has yet to confirm other villains, the reveal trailer suggested that Kraven the Hunter will be turning New York City into his personal hunting ground, and Spider-Man has no shortage of iconic villains who could make an appearance. Electro, Mister Negative, Vulture, Scorpion, Doc Ock, and Rhino menaced the webhead in the first game, while Miles Morales’ primary antagonist was the Tinkerer.

With Norman Osborn playing a crucial role in the first game, could the Green Goblin be far behind? Only Insomniac knows, but for now, the studio is keeping that info locked up.

How many unlockable Spider-Man costumes will there be?

Unlocking new costumes in Spider-Man and Miles Morales was a highlight of those games, with each title having dozens of outfits to add to the Spider-wardrobe. Again, Insomniac hasn’t outright confirmed that unlockable costumes will feature in Spider-Man 2, but Schneider did tease that the reveal trailer is “merely just a glimpse at what’s in store in terms of the new abilities our heroes will acquire, suits they will wear, and the villains that will try to hunt them down.”

Interestingly, the base costumes that Peter and Miles wear have been adjusted ever so slightly, and these sport more refined and brighter colors. So they’re technically new costumes.