Insomniac's 2018 superhero smash Marvel's Spider-Man was an immediate fan favorite for both comic book readers and lovers of action adventure video games. It so effortlessly captured the wit, thrills and tragedy of Marvel's web swinging vigilante, and fans have been clamoring for the sequel ever since. Although the sequel, aptly titled Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was confirmed to be in active development in late 2021, PlayStation has yet to offer any new information aside from small tidbits here and there, and details being slipped in interviews with Venom's voice actor Tony Todd.
However, recent leaks for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 have stirred up some conversation, as fans are clamoring for any tidbit of potential information they can acquire. While these leaks are of course to be taken with a grain of salt, some plot points within imply that the DLC for Marvel's Spider-Man, entitled "The City That Never Sleeps", may now be a mandatory playthrough for fans to be up to speed on the full story going into the sequel.
DLC's Place in a Video Game
DLC in video games is often considered a nice bonus for players still clamoring for more time in a world they have come to love. However, while some DLC like Red Dead Redemption's "Undead Nightmare" are simply meant to be a fun side distraction and not canon, other DLC such as "Left Behind" for The Last of Us is interwoven into the main plot of the game. In the case of "Left Behind", the entire side adventure is referenced in the main game and sequel as a major plot point for Ellie, and while players technically don't need to play it, it is highly recommended to understand the context and further appreciate the entire story.
"The City That Never Sleeps" DLC for Marvel's Spider-Man, could have been looked at like one-off comic book story arc as opposed to a piece of the overarching storyline. Released in three parts, each segment introduced some new characters like Black Cat and Tombstone and built upon what was introduced in the main game. However, by the time the third chapter rolled around, all the new plot threads seemed to have been wrapped up in a nice bow - all except for one however, which saw supporting character Yuri take a much darker turn in personality, with her future in the series up in the air.
The City That Never Sleeps DLC Leading Into The Sequel
According to the aforementioned leaks for Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the first third of the game will allegedly focus heavily on Peter's partnership with Yuri - who has become the vigilante Wraith - as he tries to sway her away from the vengeful path that she's choosing to go down. Considering how tense things leave off at the end of the DLC, her and Peter likely have an uphill battle ahead of them and a lot of healing to go through together. While the sequel will likely fill in enough of the blanks for those who hadn't checked it out, it may be hard to pick up on all the little nuances without experiencing it fully.
Thankfully, "The City That Never Sleeps" DLC is easily available to players who have yet to give it a go. In the years that have passed since Marvel's Spider-Man, the game has been remastered and re-released, with said release bundling in the entirety of the DLC content. The chapters can also be purchased separately on the PSN at regularly discounted prices, giving fans an accessible method to web swing into more high-flying action. Of course, it is still up in the air whether these plot leaks have any validity to them. In the meantime though, it wouldn't hurt fans to enjoy more content from Marvel's Spider-Man, regardless of how big of a part it plays in the sequel.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is currently in development for PS5.