PlayStation 5 owners might feel bummed at the idea of being relegated to merely watching Starfield gameplay videos instead of actually playing the hyped space adventure. However, there’s a flip side to this coin. Xbox players will equally find themselves watching with envy as PlayStation users revel in the thrill of Insomniac Games’ upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Preloading is expected to go live on October 13 ahead of the game’s October 20 release date, but you’ll want to spend on a chunkier SSD before then if you’ve built up a huge collection of games and you’re now running low on storage space.
According to Twitter (sigh, X) user @SpiderManCD, the official Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Console Bundle box details that you need a minimum of 98GB to install the game. While this is certainly a significant chunk of space, it is distinctly lower than the expected 100GB+ that earlier reports had suggested.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 officially requires a minimum of 98 GB per the official Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Console Bundle Retail Box. #SpiderMan2PS5 pic.twitter.com/2Gyod29X1D
— MADAME WEB COUNTDOWN (@SpiderManCD) August 30, 2023
However, when compared to its predecessors, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 looks like a mammoth of a game. 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man required a mere 45GB of storage on the PlayStation 4, while its spin-off, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, clocked in at approximately 54GB. Even after remastering the original Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for the PlayStation 5, it still didn’t come close to the upcoming installment, as it only scaled up to 71GB.
A big reason why Insomniac Games’ new Spider-Man is so heavy can be attributed to the much bigger maps in the game. From what has been revealed, players will be able to traverse previously unexplored locations in New York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, and the East River. As the game’s Creative Director put it, adding these new locations to the map makes it “roughly twice the size” of the maps featured in the previous games.
Adding to this is the introduction of Web Wings, which will enable players to move across cities at a higher speed. Combining this with other abilities and gadgets such as the Web Grabber that pulls enemies together and the Thunder Burst that produces an electrifying ground pound, it makes sense for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 size to edge closer to the 100GB mark.
Fortunately, Sony has recently launched a new update enabling PS5 users to expand their storage to 8TB. While the earlier cap of 4TB is sufficient for the majority of gamers, there are a select few that cherish building a huge library of games, making this update a much-appreciated inclusion. It’s worth keeping in mind that you will still need to buy an M.2 SSD that meets all of Sony’s stipulated specifications.
As you look forward to stepping into the shoes of either Peter Parker and Miles Morales come October 20, you can try your luck in purchasing the limited edition Spider-Man-themed console and DualSense controller that will hit shelves tomorrow.
Although it’s probably futile since scalpers most likely hoarded all of the available stocks already.
