Barely has the virtual dust settled after the new Spider-Man 2 trailer was released at the recent Comic-Con event than fans of Insomniac’s web-slinging video game series started noticing a few differences, or so they thought. The most prominent subject of this fan analysis was none other than Mary Jane Watson’s face.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 treated its audience to a new look for Mary Jane Watson, beloved ally and confidante of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. However, the slight alteration in Mary Jane’s appearance set off a domino effect of speculation and presumptions among the gaming community. The uproar reached such a peak that Insomniac Games’ community and marketing director, James Stevenson, had to step in to debunk the assumptions and confirm that it’s still the same face model and actress behind Mary Jan.
The confusion among the fans is somewhat understandable, considering the developers made a drastic change to the face of Peter Parker in the PlayStation 5 remaster of the original game. But in this case, fans were somewhat barking up the wrong web, as the significant change observed was merely a change in Mary Jane’s hairstyle.
Same voice actor but different face
— lionslunchtime (@lionslunchtime) July 21, 2023
What could’ve compounded the apparent change, however, is the improved face-scanning technology. The advancements and more accurate scans can capture finer details of a face, thus leading to an improved, more realistic in-game model. In particular, Mary Jane’s redesigned model seemed to feature more realistic proportions and a freer-flowing hairstyle with a more amber color.
This correction has received a mixed response from fans. Some preferred the new more life-like look, expressing relief at the changed model. Others, though, were amused by the unnecessary confusion, jovially comparing the situation to Clark Kent’s disguise, which people would surely fall for.
Aside from MJ’s face, fans also focused on other juicy tidbits offered by the new Spider-Man 2 trailer. The game’s stunning visuals, the first look at Venom, and the very niche villain reference were among the highlights. An intriguing subplot also seems to be brewing with J. Jonah Jameson back at the Daily Bugle, putting Mary Jane’s job “on the line.”
The anticipation for the sequel, exclusive to PlayStation 5, is heightened as it will be the first title from Insomniac Games to feature the redesigned Peter Parker, which debuted in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The game will also introduce a host of new features, including a new wing suit power and three new open-world locales for the players to explore.
Finally, fans got a sneak peek into the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 themed PS5 and DualSense controller, featuring a black and red design with the Spider-Man logo. This limited edition console, with pre-orders starting soon, generated quite a buzz among the eager fans.
So as the fans gear up for the launch on October 20, one thing is certain – whether it’s the subtle changes to Mary Jane or the revamped Peter Parker or the gameplay’s overall look, Spider-Man 2 will have a whole lot of new to offer.
After all, as Stevenson teased on Twitter, “It’ll be even better by launch.
Given how much better Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has continued to look every time we get a chance to check it out in a new trailer, we can only imagine what the final product is going to be.
Insomniac Games is currently one of PlayStation Studios’ most active first-party developers. It’s currently working on a PC port of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, alongside Nixxes Software, which comes out on July 26. In addition to this, Insomniac is releasing a new comic book video game adaptation, Marvel’s Wolverine, sometime next year. Finally, it’s been revealed that the studio is currently deep into the development of an “unannounced AAA” title with a former Blizzard Entertainment developer as one of the leads.
