While there are plenty of interesting Marvel games in the works, from an Amy Hennig-led project to a new MMO, a lot of attention is being focused on the upcoming Insomniac Games titles. This is understandable, as expectations are high for both Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Marvel’s Wolverine. With the former building off two great games and the latter featuring one of the most beloved heroes from the Marvel universe, it will be exciting to see how these projects turn out.
However, some gamers are focusing more on the potential of a connected universe starring Insomniac’s versions of Spidey and Logan. While this is a natural hope to have after the incredible success of the MCU, and could certainly be fun to see one day, Insomniac Games should hold off on potential crossovers for the time being. While it is fine to set the games in the same universe through hidden references and lines of dialogue, a team-up is not necessary for the games to be great. In fact, it could prove to be a bit detrimental if it comes too quickly.
Why Now is Not The Time To Pull The Trigger on a Marvel Games Universe
The biggest point against connecting Insomniac’s upcoming titles is that once the studio decides to have Wolverine or Spider-Man crossover, there is no going back. Players will want to see more of the pairing once the initial team-up happens, as the two have had great chemistry in the comics and would surely have a memorable dynamic in the games as well. If Logan shows up to help Spidey take down an enemy, or vice versa, everything else in that game and future solo titles could feel like a letdown if the two are not together.
The situation is comparable to what would happen if the Spider-Verse was opened in Insomniac’s Spidey universe. While this is not a bad route to take eventually, as Spider-Gwen and Spider-Man 2099 would be a blast to play as, it should be something that happens down the line. If it comes too soon, gamers could miss out on more grounded Spider-Man adventures where Peter and Miles face off with classic villains from their rogues’ galleries. After all, going back to a simpler story like the one with Doc Ock would be a lot less exciting after jumping through dimensions with other wall-crawlers. Similarly, pairing up Wolverine and Spider-Man too soon could kill the potential of more solo games with the claw-wielding X-Men member.
Wolverine is a character that provides plenty of opportunities from both a gameplay and storytelling standpoint, and Insomniac should embrace all of that before pairing him up with the wall-crawler and kickstarting a Marvel Games Universe. For example, players could get a full trilogy of Wolverine games before they see him interact with other characters. The first title could focus on his origins and lone wolf mentality, the second could see him meeting X-23, and the third could highlight Logan’s growth as he embraces a role in the X-Men.
The reason the MCU works so well is because Kevin Feige and the rest of Marvel Studios took the time to build up characters before throwing them together. Insomniac has the chance to do the same, taking things slowly and getting the most out of each hero before pairing them up. By going this route, players could see fully fleshed out versions of Wolverine and Spider-Man meeting when the potential team-up happens. If the developer jumps to a crossover too quickly, though, it could be hard to return to solo titles and sell fans on a game where only one of the heroes is featured.
Marvel’s Spider-Man does an excellent job of referencing the wider Marvel universe while still keeping things self-contained. Marvel’s Wolverine should do the same, subverting the expectations and hopes of a crossover for the time being. While it should let players know that Miles and Peter exist in the same universe as Logan, it should stop there, keeping things focused on Wolverine instead of inserting a Spider-Man cameo. Further, while a post credits scene can set up the crossover, it would be even better to see another Wolverine-only game teased instead. Years down the line, a bigger threat could appear and a crossover between Insomniac Games’ Wolverine and Spider-Man can finally happen, but it should serve as a huge payoff to two longrunning franchises instead of the next step.