While Spider-Man: Miles Morales gears up to be a PlayStation 5 launch title, developer Insomniac Games has given fans glimpses into what they can expect. One recurring motif in the developer's social media posts has been framing information dumps as stories from the Daily Bugle Now, such as one recent post revealing an Into the Spider-Verse-inspired suit. Now, the Bugle is spotlighting some new characters around New York City.
The story is set up similarly to a "Humans of New York" blog with four up-and-coming youngsters getting a little blurb about their aspirations. First on the list is Miles Morales, revealed to be a hot new music producer inspired by the work of his father and uncle. Spider-Man: Miles Morales will also feature a podcaster named Danika Hart, clearly played in opposition to the one-sided J. Jonah Jameson; an East Harlem street artist named Hailey Cooper; and a tech developer named Ganke Lee.
As expected of a game inspired by the Marvel Comics universe, many characters are comic book references - including the Daily Bugle's writer and photographer. Hart is a YouTube blogger in the comics, whereas Lee is Miles' friend and superhero confidant who dates Hart at one point. Lee hides his personality using the nickname "Ned" in the comics, though in 2017 the character's creator told ComicBook he was unsure whether the similarly named Ned Leeds in the MCU's Spider-Man: Homecoming was direct inspired by Lee.
Fans in the comments of Insomniac's social media have been quick to point out the potential connection between Hart and one of Miles Morales' villains, Tinkerer. As portrayed in a trailer from Sony's PS5 showcase in September, Tinkerer has a prominent purple color scheme, much like Hart's purple highlights. Nothing has been confirmed, of course, so this could just as easily be a red herring.
Marketing for the upcoming game has also taken the somewhat unconventional form of other pieces of media in recent weeks. Insomniac released a text conversation between Miles Morales and Peter Parker today as well, providing insight into why Parker will not be around to help throughout the game.
References and small details in Spider-Man: Miles Morales extend further than just the characters filling New York City. Morales will be able to wear a ton of suits, similar to Parker before him, and one recent addition that has caught players' attentions includes a mask-wearing cat sidekick that fights crime.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be avaliable on November 12 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Sources: Marvel Fandom Wiki, ComicBook