Who Owns the Gaming Rights to Spider-Man in 2024?
The exclusive console and PC gaming rights for Spider-Man titles are currently owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment through their licensing deal with Marvel Games.
History of Spider-Man Gaming Rights
Spider-Man video games have been popularised under various publishers over the years:
| Publisher | Era | Popular Games |
|---|---|---|
| Activision | 2000s | Spider-Man 2, Ultimate Spider-Man |
| Treyarch | 2010s | Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Edge of Time |
| Sony/Insomniac | 2010s-Present | Marvel‘s Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Miles Morales |
Activision Era
Activision held the Marvel gaming license from 2000-2014, producing fan favourite Spider-Man 2 and other titles. Their licensing rights lapsed in 2014.
According to former Activision producer Jamie Ottilie, negotiations fell apart as the company shifted away from licensed games:
“There were very high demands for quite significant guarantees… Unfortunately, Marvel is focused on console gaming and Activision is focused on Call of Duty.”
Bid for Exclusivity
After talks with Activision ended, Marvel Games shopped the Spider-Man IP to several major publishers in 2014 as an open-bid for a single exclusive console deal.
At the time, according to former Xbox executive Lorne Lanning, Microsoft declined as they remained committed to owning their own IP rather than licensing others.
“We kind of looked at it like, ‘We have a lot of things we could put that level of effort into, do we really want to build Spider-Man?’ And that was where things ended.”
In contrast, Sony aggressively pursued the rights. They offered a strong bid, ultimately beating out other publishers for exclusivity. Development then began on Marvel’s Spider-Man by studio Insomniac Games.
Sony‘s Current Exclusive Gaming Rights
Fast forward to 2023, and Sony Interactive Entertainment retains exclusive console rights for Spider-Man video games thanks to that successful bid in 2014.
Exact details are not public, but their licensing agreement with Marvel Games reportedly runs for at least 5-7 years at a time.
As part of the exclusivity deal, major restrictions apply on the web-slinger‘s appearances:
No MCU games:
- Spider-Man cannot appear in Marvel multi-verse titles like Marvel‘s Avengers on PlayStation
No multi-platform games:
- Spider-Man solo games are fully exclusive to PlayStation systems
This gives Sony total control and monetization of the Spider-Man gaming audience, while severely limiting his cameos with the Avengers.
Successful First-Party Franchise
The partnership between Sony and Insomniac Games on titles like Marvel‘s Spider-Man (2018) have proven hugely successful:
- Over 33 million units sold worldwide
- Among highest rated superhero games of all-time
- Won BAFTA Game of the Year Award in 2019
Insomniac cemented their reputation for delivering top-tier exclusive games for PlayStation systems.
Continued success seems guaranteed with the hotly anticipated sequel Marvel‘s Spider-Man 2 hitting PS5 in late 2023.
Marvel‘s Licensing Limitations
While PlayStation enjoys booming Spider-Man gaming revenue, Marvel Games‘ hands are tied when it comes to multi-platform titles.
Per former Xbox exec Lanning, Marvel likely now regret ceding so much control:
“It wasn’t the deal that Sony did with Marvel. It was the deal that Marvel did with Sony…I’m sure even Marvel wishes they didn’t do that because there’s so much left on the table.”
Still, the licensing deal remains mutually beneficial according to industry lawyer Stephen McArthur:
“Sony pictures has the film rights, the game publisher has the game rights. That’s not unusual and from Marvel’s perspective, it’s all found money.”
Microsoft‘s PC/Mobile Gaming Rights
Marvel Games has also allowed Microsoft to leverage Spider-Man in its gaming ecosystems (outside of PlayStation consoles):
- Released Marvel‘s Spider-Man Remastered on PC in 2022
- Added Spider-Man to Marvel Future Revolution mobile RPG
This enables wider distribution of Spider-Man games through Microsoft‘s channels, while upholding Sony‘s console exclusivity.
Recent moves to grow Xbox‘s audience beyond just console gaming seems to have softened their past stances on licensed IP deals like Spider-Man.
Disney‘s Challenge Buying Back Full Rights
Given the massive success of Spider-Man‘s integration into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many fans have wondered whether Disney could buy back his outright gaming rights.
However, lawyers like McArthur believe that getting out of the Sony deal is highly improbable:
“It’s very unlikely that the original contract didn’t contemplate Sony doing well with the property…So Marvel likely can’t get out of the agreement.”
Likewise, analysts estimate Sony‘s total valuation of the Spider-Man gaming rights could be over $2 billion at this point given his strong market value. That poses a stiff price tag for Disney.
Regaining full control seems more like a fan pipe dream for now. But in 5-10 years when licensing deals expire? Never say never.
The Future and Evolution of Spider-Man Gaming Rights
Looking ahead, the gaming forecast for everyone‘s favorite wall-crawler remains strong but could see changes:
Insomniac‘s Spider-Man 2 will probably break sales records as a PlayStation exclusive blockbuster.
Sony seems committed to maximizing their Spidey gaming license for the coming decade.
However, Marvel Games could negotiate reduced restrictions on cameos and multi-platform games in the next round of Sony licensing talks.
That could ultimately result in a best-case scenario where PlayStation keeps their exclusive main console rights, while we get to see Spider-Man finally united with the Avengers for all gamers to enjoy together! No matter what happens though, the gaming and fandom communities will keep rooting for our beloved super hero both on-screen and on the controller.
Analysis by Peter Gamer @ WebslingerGaming.net
