Marvel’s Spider-Man 3’s Spider-Verse Rumor Could Be Too…

The following contains mild spoilers for Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man series, but especially Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, has introduced a ton of loose threads that it’ll need to knot if it’s ever going to conclude the overarching storyline it’s established. I’ve always been in the camp of players who believe Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is too congested with various important subplots and that Marvel’s Spider-Man 3, assuming the trilogy-ender will be the last Insomniac Spider-Man game, won’t have enough time to spend giving closure to all of them. So, if a rumor, according to MP1st, bears any legitimate weight, there is bound to be a messy web of storylines.

This rumor, which also involves possible details about Insomniac’s Venom game, claims that Insomniac is trying to exploit what little Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 did to achieve a Spider-Verse tether, which delivered a Spider-Bot collectible hunt in the open world. In particular, it’s alleged that Miguel O’Hara’s Spider-Man 2099 could play a role in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3. Depending on how substantial that role may be, I can’t think of an easier way for Insomniac to congest its threequel beyond belief and possibly derail any semblance of a coherent story than by adding yet another Spider-Person to the mixture.

Spider-Man 2099 Had His Era, and He’s Too Good for a Half-Baked Cameo

Spider-Man 2099’s heyday in video games was in Beenox’s Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions and Spider-Man: Edge of Time—the former inspiring all things Spider-Verse, and the latter, my literal favorite Spider-Man game ever, being a phenomenal and unique sci-fi tale about time travel and “quantum causality fields.” I’d be head over heels for a new Spider-Man game centering exclusively on Miguel in a dystopian, technologically advanced 2099, but that’s not what Insomniac is rumored to be pursuing.

Plus, like in Spider-Man: Edge of Time, it would be more logical if Insomniac was approaching Spider-Man 2099 from a time-travel perspective rather than a multiversal perspective. I can’t stress how exhausted I am whenever I hear that a story will involve multiversal elements, though, after that is what comic book media has arguably leaned a little too heavily on for the last decade. In many cases, it seems like a hotbed for lazy writing and ‘what if?’ Scenarios that don’t need interesting excuses or meaningful consequences.

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If it was my decision, I’d leave Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise as it is—a wholesome, original narrative with fun lore, sans a sweeping multiverse.

Hell, even Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s symbiote invasion and the acknowledgment of Knull’s existence were a bit too otherworldly in relation to what I thought the series’ pacing had done well thus far. Leaving Miguel in the year 2099 shouldn’t be an issue, either, when Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 will supposedly be juggling a minimum of three protagonists already.

Between Peter, Miles, and Cindy, Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 is Biting Off More Than It Can Chew

Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Cindy Moon are likely to be Marvel’s Spider-Man 3’s playable protagonists with abilities, while Mary Jane Watson is almost guaranteed to reprise her role as a playable side character due to how imperative it was for Insomniac to give her paramount substance in both Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. It’s anyone’s guess whether Hailey Cooper will be playable once more, especially if she’s a more prominent fixture of Miles’ life now that they’ll have been dating.

Rather, Cindy debuting in Marvel’s Spider-Man’s post-credits cutscene as the daughter of Albert Moon, Miles’ mother’s new love interest, essentially ensures that she’ll have a playable role.

Nothing would shock me more than to learn that Cindy, also known as Silk, isn’t playable, as that would perhaps be Insomniac’s biggest missed opportunity—and why else introduce Silk if she’s an NPC throughout all of Marvel’s Spider-Man 3? Nonetheless, all three characters have a lot of development to undergo and subplots to see through to completion unless Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 isn’t actually ending Insomniac’s Spider-Man franchise, including:

Peter and MJ have moved in together at May’s Queens house, and how their relationship blossoms or is challenged will hopefully be engaging.
Peter still possesses the Anti-Venom symbiote.
Miles is in the throes of post-adolescence and about to enroll in university, not unlike the Spider-Verse movies’ Miles. Likewise, Miles meeting Cindy implies that he will become a mentor figure to her when they both learn of each other’s kindred abilities.
Cindy’s perceived normalcy in the sparing glimpse we have of her suggests that Insomniac has given Cindy a different backstory than the one she has in the comics, and if/how she receives powers will be intriguing.
Norman Osborn becoming Green Goblin has been brewing since MJ discovered Norman’s secret laboratory and Goblin-related Easter eggs.
Harry Osborn is ailing from an incurable disease and may well become Green Goblin himself, though Insomniac doubling down on Harry as a villain in back-to-back games would be an odd choice.
The Chameleon was teased in a side quest’s cliffhanger ending.
Carnage was teased in a side quest’s cliffhanger ending.
Yuri Watanabe’s role as Wraith hasn’t been resolved.
Knull and other symbiotes were teased as part of the main story’s symbiote invasion.
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Dr. Otto Octavius is scheming from behind bars and is likely to play a significant role in what comes of Norman.

I can’t think of an easier way for Insomniac to congest its threequel beyond belief and possibly derail any semblance of a coherent story than by adding yet another Spider-Person to the mixture.

Now that Harry is in the picture, I’d be fascinated to see if Otto’s master plans include harming Harry in order to punish Norman. Meanwhile, I would be overjoyed if the Marvel’s Spider-Man threequel made no effort to continue scratching at its multiverse/Spider-Verse itch. Marvel’s Spider-Man is expected to end as Insomniac’s X-Men foray begins, and I’m praying that, however it does end, it is as satisfying, humble, and airtight as when the series began.

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