Does Spider-Man PS4 Include A Fantastic Four Nod After All?
Have no fear, they're here - come join the Four!
Prior to the release of Spider-Man PS4 it was confirmed by developers at Insomniac Games that the Fantastic Four - Marvel's first family - would not be appearing. It's so far the only blind spot in a game chockfull of references to the wider Marvel Universe (that, and there being no Luke Cage Easter eggs), but it turns out that Insomniac may have covered their tracks after all - even if the Baxter Building is absent from the New York skyline.
In a new theory posited by IGN, it turns out this version of Peter Parker may be more directly involved in the Marvel mythos than the game lets on. During the game's introduction, where the camera pans across Pete's room, a number of post-it notes can be seen. Pause on that exact moment, and you'll actually notice a few clever nods to the wider Marvel Universe; there's a reminder for Pete to respond to a job offer from "T.S." (likely to be Tony Stark), but even more exciting is the fact that there could be a link to Reed Richards, Marvel's very own Mister Fantastic.
To the very right of the shot a note can be spotted saying "RR suit fabric ballistic? Call to confirm". IGN posit that this is a nod to Reed Richards, because who else has those initials and is science-y in the Marvel Universe?
It might be a bit of a stretch - especially so, given the lack of Baxter Building. But it's important to remember that Insomniac were developing Spider-Man for years, and it's only been the last few months were the Four have been reintegrated into Marvel's Comics (as a result of Fox's ownership of the FF's rights, the group were forbidden to appear in a comic of their own). It's ten times as difficult to remodel a map to accommodate a new skyscraper than it is to introduce a little note after all, and with a sequel now all but confirmed, it's likely Insomniac wanted to confirm the team's existence ASAP.
Sure, it's not the Human Torch race cameo fans were after, but it's yet another great Easter egg that teases a key pillar of Marvel's library. Here's hoping that Spidey will be suiting up alongside them in no time at all.