A lot of people might feel that Marvel’s Avengers could be the natural choice for a video game franchise that mirrors the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With its obvious crossover potential and a growing roster of major characters to pull from, it is developing into a powerhouse of a game. But a more natural choice comes in the form of the Spider-Man series that has been developed by Insomniac Games over the past few years. The first Spider-Man game was a fantastic introduction to a universe that seems to be growing, and it falls in line with the well-paced method the MCU has used for over a decade.
While Spider-Man on PS4 did start with an older Peter Parker that has already grown into his role, it left room for Peter to develop into a more mature adult. Many fans know Peter’s character starting in his teenage years, not the figurehead he becomes later in life. Developing the story through this approach works well for one character but it is risky with a major team like the Avengers.
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This is demonstrated in the MCU's tendency to create spin-offs based on individual characters, like the recent Black Widow movie, allowing viewers to get invested in each story. Similarly, Marvel’s Spider-Man was the start of its own Spider-Man series, but the game is filled with breadcrumbs that could branch into different characters receiving their own games, which was already done with Miles Morales but could be taken a step further with other Marvel characters.
After Miles cameoed in the first Spider-Man game, his dedicated title featured the Harlem teen figuring out how he fits into the role. Spider-Man: Miles Morales showed how the incremental approach can help to build up a video game franchise as grand as the MCU is for film. At the same time, both games featured evidence to suggest that the next installment will likely deal with another major Spider-Man character, Venom.
On top of the hints surrounding Venom, there are dozens of Easter eggs hidden throughout the game’s map that hint at other major heroes in one way or another. Matt Murdock, who moonlights as Daredevil, is implied to have given Peter Parker his business card, and the offices of Nelson and Murdock have a physical location in the game. Other major locations that make clear references to Daredevil include Josie’s bar, which is one of Murdock’s go-to hangouts, and the Clinton Mission Shelter.
Because of Daredevil’s proximity to Spider-Man throughout each hero’s history in the comics, it isn’t surprising that so many allusions to the character are in the game, but they aren’t necessarily unique. Many major characters from Marvel’s franchises are acknowledged in Spider-Man and set a decent foundation for future games to follow up with them. This ranges from people like Dr. Strange and Black Panther to the Inhumans and Lockjaw.
It could be years before any of them receive dedicated titles, but a gradual and nuanced approach that starts with Spider-Man is what makes the most sense. The character’s long history with many different heroes, roles as both student and mentor, as well as widespread popularity make him a great jumping-off point. A lot of fans of all ages view him as a symbol of what it means to be a hero, and moving forward with a video game universe that centers around Spider-Man make more sense than not.
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