Summary
With the excitement surrounding the crucial role Venom plays inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, it’s natural that many fans would want to see a spin-off game featuring the symbiote villain. Given how Sony has started the trend of giving games half-sequels, there is room for a Venom game to exist among Insomniac’s otherSpider-Mantitles. However, if a Venom spin-off title were to happen, there is one plot point present inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2that acts as the perfect setup for the character to return as a playable protagonist of his own game.
Developer Insomniac has stated there is a possibility of aVenom spin-off gamein the future, but withSpider-Man 2having just been released and Insomiac’sWolverinein the pipeline, fans may have to wait a while to see this game come to fruition. Some fans may see the end ofSpider-Man 2as the end of Venom’s storyline, given that Peter, Miles, and MJ defeat the symbiote and free Harry from its control. However, despite the apparent defeat of Venom at the end ofSpider-Man 2, the game presents a natural way to bring the symbiote back again with new powers and place him in a starring role.
Peter’s Anti-Venom Powers Could Revive the Symbiote for a Venom Spin-Off Game
Spider-Man 2only gives players a brief stint as aplayable Venom, occurring when the symbiote transfers back to Harry after Peter breaks free from its control. While this initial rampage and fight against Kraven is one of the highlights of the game, it is ultimately short-lived and leaves players wanting more from a playable symbiote. Unfortunately, the ending ofSpider-Man 2leaves Harry in a coma having lost the symbiote that was keeping him alive and making it difficult for a future Venom spin-off to make sense canonically, but there may be a way this type of game could happen given a key plot point from earlier in the game.
The finale ofSpider-Man 2sees Peter gain the power of Anti-Venom by mixing theWhite Energy cells of Mr. Negativewith the remaining symbiote cells lingering in his body. Through this power, Peter utilizes the benefits of the symbiote suit without the symbiote gaining control of his consciousness. Theoretically, if Harry was granted the same power provided by the White Energy cells, they could also transform the remaining symbiote cells in his body, granting him the ability to take on the form of Venom while still being in control as Harry.
If Peter, or even Martin Li, could transfer some of the White Energy cells to Harry, the lingering symbiote cells inside him might be enough to wake him from his coma and sustain him. This justification for bringing Venom back despite having been defeated and putting Harry in a coma would make sense within the lore of Insomniac’sSpider-Manuniverse. It would also be a great way to bring the storyline full circle, as Harry was the one who first gave Peter the symbiote after he sustained a fatal injurybattling Kraven inSpider-Man 2.
While it may be difficult to picture Venom as a hero, there is precedent for this storyline in other media. In theSpider-Mancomics, Venom and Peter eventually reach a truce and Eddie Brock, bonded with the symbiote, relocates to San Fransisco to become the city’s lethal protector against the nefarious Life Foundation.
While there are a variety of directions a Venom half-sequel could go in, the justification for bringingHarry Osborn’s Venomback after having been defeated inSpider-Man 2needs to be solid. Luckily,Spider-Man 2was written in such a way that the Anti-Venom aspect of the plot would serve as the perfect vehicle for bringing Venom back to the series should Insomniac decide the character deserves his own game. Combining the Venom gameplay fromSpider-Man 2with a handful of new Anti-Venom-based abilities could also give the character the move set refresh needed for a spin-off.
