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New Spider-Man movie is so good, it’s selling copies of the years-old PS5 game
The release of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has given a significant sales boost to Insomniac Games' three-year-old PS5 title Marvel's Spider-Man 2, illustrating how a hit film can revive interest in an older game even without deliberate cross-promotion. Analysts note that the film and game were not strategically timed to coincide, suggesting the sales lift happened largely by chance rather than through coordinated planning by the platform holder or publisher.
According to analytics firm Alinea, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has sold roughly 316,000 additional copies since the film opened in cinemas on 30 July, generating over $11 million across PS5 and Steam in under a fortnight. Around 20% of these physical film-window sales were on disc, while a further 274,000 players tried the game for the first time via PlayStation Plus. The film's marketing tie-ins also extended across other Marvel titles, including Marvel Rivals, Marvel Snap and Marvel Contest of Champions, while Insomniac's upcoming Marvel's Wolverine, due next month, may feature a Spider-Man cameo given its shared universe.
In short
- Spider-Man film's success is boosting sales of a 2023 PS5 game
- Spider-Man 2 sold 316,000 extra copies, earning over $11 million
- Marvel cross-promotion spread to Rivals, Snap and other games
Explained simply
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an action-adventure game made by Insomniac Games, in which players take on the roles of Peter Parker and Miles Morales. It was released for PlayStation 5 in 2023 and later became available on PC and through PlayStation Plus, a subscription service that includes a library of games.
The game and Spider-Man: Brand New Day are separate stories in the wider Marvel universe, and their releases were not planned to coincide. Interest in a film can lead people to seek out related games, while Marvel characters also appear across other games and films, making audience interest relevant to several companies.