Marvel Games VP Teases a 'Scary' Venom in Spider-Man 2

Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is 'scary', according to Marvel Games creative director Bill Rosemann at San Diego Comic-Con.

Marvel Games and Insomniac gave more details about Venom's motives as a character in the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2, calling him "scary."

Bill Rosemann, the vice president and creative director of Marvel Games spoke to panel attendees at San Diego Comic-Con to answer fan questions about one of the game's main antagonists, Venom. In regard to his motives as a villain, Rosemann said that Venom's conflict with Spider-Man has nothing to do with personal gain and purely comes from a desire to kill Peter Parker. "What makes Venom so scary, he doesn't want to rob banks," Rosemann said to convention attendees. "He doesn't want to take over the world, Venom wants to kill Spider-Man, [so] there's an element of fear."

The director goes on to discuss how the symbiote is like an addiction for its host, which corrupts and dilutes their mind in return for raw power, and that the game will explore this theme as a primary plot point. Recent gameplay and story reveals from Sony and Insomniac Games showed that Peter will be attached to the symbiote as well, causing him to act more ruthless and mean-spirited toward his friends and enemies.

While Rosemann states that Venom's motives are purely personal, the character, voiced by horror icon Tony Todd, makes mention of a desire to "heal the world" in the game's most recent trailer. The trailer does not give any context as to what this might mean, though previous iterations of the character often showed that Venom sees Spider-Man as a plague that needs to be eradicated.

Insomniac and Marvel have intentionally withheld information about who is inside the Venom suit in Spider-Man 2, though they have stated that it is not Eddie Brock, the usual choice for the symbiote in most Spider-Man media. However, the first game's post-credits scene does provide a clue about who Venom may be, as it shows Peter's best friend Harry Osborn in a stasis chamber exposed to a black substance that resembles the alien symbiote.

Venom will not be the only threat to Peter and his apprentice, Miles Morales, however, as Kraven the Hunter was also revealed in the game's first trailer as a primary antagonist. The game will also feature new gameplay mechanics such as a glide suit and new combat features during Peter's time with the symbiote.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is set to release on Oct. 20 exclusively on the PlayStation 5. The first game and its follow-up title Miles Morales are available on PlayStation 4 and 5 and PC. Sony also announced a Spider-Man-themed PS5 console and controller bundle available for pre-order on July 28.