Key Highlights:
- Documents reportedly stolen from Insomniac Games reference Spider-Verse alongside other potential projects.
- The discovery has prompted speculation about a multiplayer Spider-Man game, although no such project has been officially announced.
- Subsequent reporting revealed that Insomniac had previously cancelled a multiplayer Spider-Man project.
Leaked documents linked to the recent Insomniac Games ransomware attack have sparked rumours that the developer behind Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has been working on a Spider-Verse game. References to the multiverse-themed property and other potential projects have emerged online, although the material does not confirm that a new game is actively in development.
According to Insider Gaming’s 13 December report, Reddit user sut345 identified references to Spider-Verse, a possible Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 and another project labelled RCE in images reportedly taken from internal studio documents.
One image appears to include a partially obscured Spider-Man project name, while another contains a reference to additional support for Spider-Verse. Neither provides a confirmed title, release date or explanation of how the project would function.
The discovery has prompted speculation that Insomniac could be developing a multiplayer Spider-Man experience, potentially involving characters from different universes. The studio had previously advertised multiplayer development positions, although no direct connection to the reported Spider-Verse references has been established.
There is also an existing multiverse reference within Spider-Man 2 itself.
After collecting all 42 Spider-Bots, players encounter a mysterious portal leading to Delilah, a character associated with the Spider-Verse films. She collects the robotic spiders and references Miguel O’Hara, also known as Spider-Man 2099.
The encounter provides a connection to the wider Spider-Verse concept, but it does not confirm that Insomniac intends to develop a separate game based on the animated films.
I find the leaked project references more interesting than the portal itself. The Spider-Bot encounter could function entirely as an Easter egg, whereas an internal project reference would suggest that Spider-Verse ideas had at least been considered within the studio. Even then, development plans can change or be abandoned.
The information emerged during the Rhysida ransomware attack on Insomniac Games, which also exposed sensitive information associated with employees and unreleased projects.
Given the circumstances surrounding the breach, the reported references should not be treated as confirmation of a forthcoming announcement. Neither Insomniac Games nor Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced a standalone Spider-Verse game.
Insomniac Games, the creators of the Spider-Man games have the full support of Games Latest News (GLN) in the ransomware attack against them.
Later Update: Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier reported that Insomniac had previously cancelled a multiplayer Spider-Man project, citing people familiar with the studio’s plans. This casts doubt on the original multiplayer speculation, although the studio did not publicly confirm the project’s cancellation.
Footage reportedly originating from a cancelled multiplayer project called Spider-Man: The Great Web subsequently circulated online. As reported by Forbes, the project featured multiple Spider-Man characters and cooperative gameplay, providing further evidence that Insomniac had explored a Spider-Verse-inspired multiplayer experience rather than announcing a game for release.
