No Spider-Man PS4 Game at PSX
By Anthony Taormina 25 November 2016
Developer Insomniac Games reveals that the highly anticipated PS4 exclusive Spider-Man game will not be part of Sony’s PSX presentations this weekend.
Although this weekend’s PSX is sure to be filled with closer looks at new games and a few surprises, there are just as many titles that will likely not make the cut for one reason or another. In some cases that’s because there simply wasn’t enough room during the show, and in others it’s likely a timing issue. One such game that will not be a part of the PSX 2016 presentation is Insomniac Games’ new Spider-Man game.
The Spider-Man no-show was announced via Insomniac’s Twitter, which apparently wanted to clear up any speculation about the title’s appearance during the event. Heading into PSX this weekend, most figured that all of Sony’s major console exclusives would be included in the show, but Spider-Man is taking itself off the list, alongside God of War.
Hey, Web-Heads! We're not showing new #SpiderManPS4 content at PSX/The Game Awards,
but we're hard at work on cool stuff to share in 2017! pic.twitter.com/AGs0zlaLtK— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) November 30, 2016
Why exactly the title won’t be making an appearance is unclear, but it sounds as though Insomniac is focusing on the game’s development and didn’t have time to put together a trailer or gameplay demo. As past experience has taught gamers, demos can help generate interest in an upcoming title, or they can also crash and burn if something isn’t perfect. So, rather than risk a poor showing by taking away from the development team, Insomniac decided to look forward.
That being said, fans shouldn’t count Spider-Man out of PSX entirely, as the title might make a brief appearance during a “sizzle reel.” However, that sizzle reel could include old Spider-Man footage and not anything new. Fans will have to wait and see.
Given that new Spider-Man game was only officially unveiled back at Sony’s E3 2016 Press Briefing, it makes sense that Insomniac would shift its focus to hardcore development. Yes, it would have been nice to see more from the PS4 exclusive, but gameplay demos and trailers usually take away from the important work.
Still, Spider-Man looks to be a promising take on the character – one that seemingly isn’t meant to tie into any movie property. Out of all the superhero properties, Spider-Man has had the most success when it comes to video game adaptations, and it’s for that reason that so much pressure is put upon the PS4 release. That same pressure is also keeping Insomniac on their toes, and likely kept them focused on the finished game and not a PSX presentation.
But while Spider-Man might not be a part of PSX, the title has a good shot of making an appearance at Sony’s E3 2017 press conference. There’s currently no release date for the game, but it’s hard to imagine Spider-Man skipping two major Sony events in a row.
