Recently, a tonne of details about the next Spider-Man game found their way online, and while they make for interesting reading, it's always best to take leaks like these with a pinch of salt. However, something which may add a little legitimacy to them is the fact the intel has now been removed!
We've got you covered here at CBM, though, as we're now taking a closer look at that leaked information and breaking it down. From surprise cameos to plans for the Venom Symbiote, and even details about side missions, gameplay, and changes to the weather, there's an awful lot to delve into.
Oh, and if that isn't enough, we may even know when "Spider-Man PS5" is swinging into stores.
Again, we can't guarantee this will come to pass, but if you're even remotely excited about where the Spider-Man franchise goes next, you'll want to check this out by hitting the "Next" button!
10. Peter Parker Returns To The Daily Bugle
With Doc Ock behind bars, Peter Parker no longer has a job as a research scientist, so he'll reportedly be returning to his roots in this game. While Mary Jane Watson has been in Symkaria serving as a war correspondent, Peter has been forced to return to taking photographs for The Daily Bugle.
The kicker? J. Jonah Jameson has apparently given up his podcast due to financial hardships first hinted at in the "City That Never Sleeps" DLC and return as the paper's Editor-in-Chief!
Photography was a big part of the first game, and something a lot of fans embraced. With that in mind, it's not overly surprisingly that it will seemingly play an even larger role in this follow-up.
9. An Even Bigger Map To Explore
New York City really hasn't changed that much since Spider-Man was released, so it's going to be hard to make any real changes to the map even with presumably even better graphics.
That probably goes some way in explaining the claims that the sequel will give us access not only to the island of Manhattan, but burrows like Queens and Brooklyn as well. Given how different they are to the Big Apple itself, that points to a larger variety of missions, and much different environments to explore.
This greater level of freedom promises to enhance things in a lot of ways, and being able to actually swing to what's on the other side of those iconic bridges will be the first for any Spider-Man game!
8. Winter Physics
Before we get to the big stuff, this is another minor change to the franchise which promises to have major ramifications in terms of gameplay. Thanks to the enhanced abilities of the PlayStation 5, weather is going to play a big role in the Spider-Man sequel, with rain and snow pointing to a winter setting.
Sure, it was cool swinging around New York as the sun was setting, but gameplay which has reportedly been seen shows snow accumulating of the wall-crawler's suit as he swings around. If you stand still long enough, it even starts to build up, and then shifts as you once again leap into action.
This not only adds even more realism to Spidey's next adventure, but puts the hero in an environment which is likely to impact both web-swinging and the general feel of playing as him.
7. Some Big Names In The DLC
There aren't a huge amount of details about what these will entail, but just like the first Spider-Man game on the PlayStation 4 boasted DLC which continued the story, so will this one.
Morbius, Wraith, and Carnage will reportedly be the focus of that, and all three characters make sense. After all, it definitely appears as if this sequel is going to head down a darker route, so Spidey coming up against characters like that will no doubt fit into the overall tone of the game.
The groundwork for Wraith's introduction was laid in the first instalment, but Carnage is definitely a surprise, especially given what we know about what the main storyline will entail...
6. The Venom Symbiote
According to this latest leak, Harry Osborn will be the first person bonded with the Venom Symbiote after it was teased in the first game's post-credits scene, but only to cure his life-threatening illness. In other words, he won't be a new version of Venom (which is bound to come as a relief to fans).
Instead, Spider-Man will quickly find himself bonded to the alien costume, and players will be able to switch between the regular Spidey and this Symbiote version whenever they way.
It sounds like it will come in handy for certain missions during the game as combat will be more aggressive, and every unlockable costume promises to have a "Symbiote" version. There will even be a dedicated skill tree for it, pointing to even greater customisation options this time.
5. What About Eddie Brock?
We've mentioned both the Venom Symbiote and Carnage, but what about Eddie Brock? Well, he is set to play a role in the game, and he will be a rival to Peter Parker at The Daily Bugle.
It sounds like he's going to be portrayed similar to what we saw in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and while there was no mention of him becoming Venom, common sense says that's the direction things will ultimately head in. Similar to Doctor Octopus, it's probably a reveal which will come later on in the game after we've had chance to get used to the Symbiote.
We've seen Venom in games before, of course, so it will be fun seeing how this version differs.
4. Playable Miles Morales
Both the main Spider-Man game and the DLC pointed to Miles Morales embracing his newfound abilities in the sequel, and it sounds like we will indeed get to swing into action as him again.
Whether he'll be suited up isn't clear, but it seems likely, and it sounds like the influence the Symbiote has on Peter Parker will lead to them clashing throughout the game. The hope is that we'll get to play as the Miles Morales version of Spidey, of course, but it could be that's being saved for part three.
Either way, this is definitely a reason to be excited for what comes next in the superhero franchise.
3. The Osborns
With it sounding like Harry Osborn will be cured of his affliction and free of the Venom Symbiote relatively early on in the game, you might be wondering what he'll be bringing to the table in this sequel.
Well, details are scarce right now, but it's said that the reason he doesn't become "Venom" is because Insomniac are saving him for something bigger down the line. There will, however, be hints about Norman Osborn becoming the Green Goblin, so them both holding that mantle potential third and fourth instalments seem highly likely.
Don't forget that Norman seemingly created the Venom Symbiote (or at least discovered it), so he's bound to want it back when he seen Spider-Man swinging around New York City wearing it.
2. Dynamic Missions And Guest Stars
Like most Spider-Man games, the side missions in the one that was released on the PlayStation 4 proved to be a tad repetitive. However, this sequel promises to shake things up a little, with "dynamic" missions which are similar in nature to the ones seen in the Spider-Man 2 movie video game.
As you may recall, those featured the web-slinger catching balloons for people, saving construction workers, and taking people to hospital, but this sequel will have meatier ones than those.
Apparently, there will be one revolving around Mysterio, a side mission with Daredevil, and even a race with the Human Torch which is named "Fantastic and Fiery." The fact characters from the wider Marvel Universe are allowed to appear this time is definitely a noteworthy reveal.
1. The Big Reveal And Release Date
We're guessing that this is what you're really interested in, right? Well, it's said that despite everything that's going on in the world right now, a reveal of some sort is coming our way this summer.
As for the release date, that's said to be next winter, which is a prime slot for a game it's easy to imagine heading straight to the top of the sales charts over the Christmas period (it also means the sequel won't be overlooked by being among a number of high-profile PS5 launch titles).
Spider-Man is a great franchise to boost sales for the system, though, so here's hoping we get a first look sooner rather than later, as it's definitely shaping up to be something special.