Insomniac ‘Spider-Man 2’: Is Venom Playable or a Terrifying New Villain?

Threatening narration, Peter Parker and Miles Morales fighting together, and the huge reveal of Venom emerging from the shadows, Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 trailer showed a lot during the PlayStation Showcase. However, one more huge piece of information could hide in plain sight. The response to the trailer’s narration has fans wondering, ‘is Venom playable?’

Speculation on seeing Venom playable in Insomniac’s ‘Spider-Man 2’

The trailer narrator, possibly Kraven the Hunter, asks Peter Parker and Miles Morales, “Will one of you finally give me what I desire?”

However, neither Spider-Man responds. Instead, Venom accepts the challenge, the cracking voice proclaiming, “Yes…we will.”

Den of Geek notes that “If we’re to believe that Kraven is one of the game’s villains (and it’s hard to see that not being the case), then why would another villain such as Venom seemingly directly respond to his challenge?”

In addition, a black Spider-Man suit appears at the end of the trailer, hinting that Spider-Man’s symbiote suit.

Given Venom’s penchant for swinging (pun intended) from one side of the law to the other, seeing Venom playable in some form or fashion cannot be ruled out.

What are the gameplay possibilities?

There are two major options if Insomniac makes Venom playable.

The first option, supported by the black Spider-Man suit in the trailer, would be playing Spider-Man ‘infected’ with the Venom symbiote.

Allowing Peter Parker to have infinite web, increasing his speed, strength, and durability, and instant transformation, the Venom symbiote could provide a huge upgrade to the webhead’s regular move set.

While Miles Morales has not (yet) possessed the Venom symbiote, Insomniac Games has shown a willingness to build on the established Spider-Man canon.

The second option would see Venom as an independent character.

Possessing Eddie Brock, the character’s increased size, and brutal fighting style could provide a huge shift in style.

While the two spider-people are small and nimble, Venom could easily provide a slower but stronger tank character. Able to withstand more damage, he could focus on pure offense instead of relying strictly on his spider-sense.

How likely is a playable Venom?

At the end of Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 trailer, the release date appeared as 2023.

With this trailer marking the first word on the game, very few details are available. That said, the question of seeing Venom playable is pure speculation for now.

However, given the character’s past, lurching from Spider-Man’s partner to his archenemy, the likelihood of a playable Venom or a big bad villain remains pretty much equal.

Listening to the dialogue in the trailer, it seems that Venom will fill an antihero role at the very least. If Spider-Man is known for flying solo, that goes doubly for Venom.

As more news releases about the game, fans can see concrete evidence supporting a playable Venom or de-confirming it.

Either way, Insomniac is sure to deliver another thrilling Spider-Man adventure.