2 Attachment(s)
New Marvel Games Could Explain Why Sony Bought Insomniac
It seems Sony's acquisition of developer Insomniac Games is beginning to show results in the form of new Marvel games. Following the tremendous success of Marvel's Spider-Man, Sony purchased Insomniac in 2019. Now, with the reveal of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Marvel's Wolverine at September's PlayStation Showcase, it seems that Sony had a particular vision in mind when acquiring the company.
Even before Marvel's Spider-Man, Insomniac had created a number of notable games. The company is responsible for popular game series such as Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank, and Resistance. Still, the talent Insomniac showed making Spider-Man seems to be what Sony was interested in utilizing most from the acquisition.
Insomniac's proficiency at using Marvel properties is likely what prompted Sony to make the company a subsidiary. Soon after its release in 2018, Marvel's Spider-Man became the best-selling superhero game in the United States, and it was nominated for Game of the Year. While the game had been made as part of a licensing agreement between Insomniac and Sony, the latter officially made Insomniac one of its internal studios in 2019. By purchasing Insomniac, Sony gained the ability to follow up on the success of Spider-Man, opening the possibility for future Marvel properties to be made by a proven developer. While the deal cost Sony a hefty $229 million, the acquisition allows Sony to make subsequent Insomniac titles only available for PlayStation consoles, raising revenue through exclusivity while also driving sales of new hardware.
Sony And Insomniac Can Build A Marvel Game Universe On Spider-Man's Success
With the more recent games developed by Insomniac, Sony has shown that it intends to use the company's talent for Marvel properties and build on the success of Marvel's Spider-Man. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales was similarly well-received, building on the story of its predecessor by focusing on an established and well-loved character. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sony elected to have Miles Morales as one of the games available for the PS5 during the launch of the console. Trailers for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Marvel's Wolverine expand the story even more, not only introducing Venom and Wolverine but marking the start of a connected Marvel game universe. Perhaps it is this result that Sony had in mind when the company acquired Insomniac initially.
In addition to the games already announced, further Marvel games made by Insomniac could be on the horizon. This new Insomniac game universe could include characters related to Spider-Man and Wolverine, such as Daredevil, the X-Men, and many more. Precisely when such titles will release is a matter of speculation, but after multiple successful games already, it is likely Sony has projections of its own.
