“Spiderman meets GTA online”: Canceled Plans For Multiplayer Spider-Man Game Could Have Shattered All the Records
A massive data breach at Marvel’s Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games has revealed plans for an unreleased multiplayer Spider-Man title. Dubbed Spider-Man: The Great Web, the canceled game could have pioneered an ambitious connected online experience for Spidey fans.
Details remain scarce about the scrapped project, but its apparent goals of a shared open world for multiplayer Spidey action had fans dreaming big. Some even compared the concept to blockbuster hits like GTA Online. But could the web-slinging gameplay have truly rivaled some of gaming’s biggest franchises?
What was leaked about the canceled multiplayer Spider-Man game?
Insomniac has yet to directly address leaked info about The Great Web. But reports indicate it was conceived as a standalone multiplayer experience set in Marvel’s Spider-Man universe.
Insomniac’s multiplayer #SpiderMan game is confirmed to be canceled
It was billed as ‘Spider-Man meets GTA Online’ pic.twitter.com/h29ZVXzXua
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 25, 2023
Players would have teamed up as different versions of Spider-Man to clean up crime in New York. Concept art showed heroes like Spider-Gwen swinging through the city streets together.
No original release window was provided, leaving the launch plans unclear. Insomniac has stressed that long-term leaks don’t reflect finalized roadmaps.
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How did gamers react to the ambitious plans?
Reactions ranged from intrigue to skepticism about The Great Web’s potential. Some fans were disappointed by losing a chance at a multiplayer Spider-verse. “It would’ve been something crazy,” one gamer responded on social media.
It was ‘actually canceled a long time ago, according to people familiar with the company’s plans’https://t.co/XOuYOKjYjZ
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 25, 2023
That sounded awesome as fuck?????
— ETIRE (@Etireed) December 25, 2023
NOOOOO WE LOST pic.twitter.com/YfLx96a3ZS
— Zeus 💫 (@ZeusLFG) December 25, 2023
The hacker should be in jail for this…
— Alaafin Chibuike Jidenna (@boltannical) December 25, 2023
How bout this
Scrap the story & just give us the Multiplayer— CJ Anderson SzN 💫 (@AyooTexanNation) December 25, 2023
Others doubted the unproven concept could have reached the heights of multiplayer titans like GTA Online and Fortnite. Established franchises have clear advantages in building and sustaining player communities over time.
It’s impossible to predict how The Great Web might have performed if released. But surpassing the dominance of GTA and other multiplayer standouts would have been a tall order. A more reasonable goal would have been following in the footsteps of Marvel’s Avengers – squarely positioning itself as a superhero alternative to GTA Online’s criminal antics.
Given Spider-Man’s immense popularity, Insomniac’s pedigree, and Sony’s marketing muscle, the game could have garnered strong initial sales. The challenge would have been maintaining players’ interests long-term.
Does Insomniac have a future multiplayer Spider-Man game?
While The Great Web never materialized, Insomniac may still revisit the concept of social web-slinging. The studio is rumored to be planning some form of online multiplayer for the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
These plans remain unconfirmed by Insomniac. But fans are eager to learn if they’ll get to team up for cooperative Spidey adventures down the road, even if the original massive multiplayer vision never pans out.
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For now, the dreams of a Spider-Man metaverse live on thanks to leaks giving a glimpse into an exciting alternate reality. Whether Insomniac reattempts that ambitious scope remains to be seen.
