Since the network head became a sony exclusive hero, the truth is that the wall-crawler is doing very well. Marvel’s Spider-Man has been a complete success with millions of copies sold and we have also been able to enjoy the latest adventure with Miles Morales. Meanwhile, Venom appears from the darkness by 2023.
Thus, the movement to obtain the character’s license has gone well for the Japanese company and now we have been able to learn more about the background of the story that surrounds it. Through the book The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 2, via Resetera, statements by Jay Ong, former vice president of Marvel Games, have been collected.
It was the year 2014 and after the hiring of NGO, the person in charge found himself before the ballot of rescuing the marvel franchises from oblivion in video games. The 2000s were a healthy time for superhero movies, especially when we look at Spider-Man.
Ong understood that the partner he chose to shape the licenses “must have great talent behind it, resources and a commitment to quality.” After considering options and ruling out Nintendo for its focus on its own titles, Ong ran into Xbox and PlayStation.
The truth is that the division led by Phil Spencer opposed a possible agreement, since Xbox also wanted to focus on its own IQ. So, Ong met Sony executives in August 2014 and explained that the goal was to outdo the Batman: Arkham series.
PlayStation responded by offering AAA and exclusive deliveries, something Marvel accepted. However, before that, negotiations had to be carried out with Activision, owners at that time of the Spider-Man license.
Bobby Kotick’s company did not put up any barriers to this and “a mutually beneficial agreement was produced. When we shook hands they asked, ‘what are you going to do with the IP?’, and I replied that I was going to find him a better home “. Activision’s response to Ong was to have “good luck finding your unicorn“.
Now, next year, Peter Parker and Miles Morales are expected to battle new threats in New York. On the other hand, Marvel’s Wolverine is another of the franchises that we dream of being able to try.