Spider-Man: Miles Morales sees 'war' in Harlem one year after PS4 game; story details revealed

There's been plenty of speculation around the newly announced PS5 game Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which follows up the smash hit PS4 game with the beloved comic hero that recently made a giant splash as the star of the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Is it an expansion? A sequel? A spin-off? Those behind the game have clarified the status of the Afro-Latino superhero's follow-up game and divulged a bit more about its setting.

Writing on the official PlayStation blog, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales' Creative Director Brian Horton explains where in the timeline fans of the first game find themselves. "It's now wintertime, about a year after the events of the first game," Horton wrote. "Marvel's New York is covered in snow, and just before Christmas break, a war between an energy corporation and a high-tech criminal army has broken out. Miles's new home in Harlem is at the heart of the battle."

Horton and Senior Animator James Ham spoke about the game more in-depth in the below video:

"We wanted to make sure his traversal is unique, his comabt is unique. We wanted to make sure Miles is his own Spider-Man," Ham said. "He isn't as confident, but he's learning from Peter, he's training with Peter. He doesn't look the same way so when he's swinging he's a little more flail-y." With new powers — like invisibility and shocking abilities — Miles will certainly stand out enough.

As for what the game is and how it fits into the franchise, Horton writes that the "standalone game" will feel like one of the more famous recent AAA spin-off adventures. "You'll experience a full story arc with Miles," he wrote, "one that's more akin to a game like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in terms of overall scope."

This, as critics have mentioned, connects to a legacy sidelining non-white heroes (Lost Legacy playable characters Chloe and Nadine are both POC) even if the games themselves are relatively long and fleshed-out. It's clear this issue was under consideration when Horton touched on the future of the Spider-Man franchise.

"Many of you fans have wondered if Peter Parker is OK," Horton wrote. "Don't worry, we still have much of Peter's story left to tell. But this game is all about Miles, a critical part of our Spider-Man universe, and you won't want to miss what happens."

Spider-Man: Miles Morales drops for the PS5 this holiday season.