Last week, Insomniac Games finally gave us our first look at MARVEL's Spider-Man Remastered, the enhanced version of the game that released in 2018, and the biggest surprise didn't come from the enhancements themselves, but from the fact that the developer decided to recast Peter Parker.
Now, the actor voicing Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the game is still Juri Lowenthal, no change there, as it was John Bubniak, the actor who lent his appearance for the character, the one who was recast; the game is exactly the same in every other regard, only Peter's face is now different.
The explanation here is a bit of a long one, but the long story short is that Ben Jordan, the new face of Peter Parker, better resembles the face of Yuri Lowenthal, who not only voiced Peter Parker, but also performed as the character in a motion-capture suit.
This change will allow the developers to better convey Lowenthal's performance, given that the new actor looks more like a younger version of Yuri Lowenthal. Whether this is true or not, it is Insomniac Games' official explanation as to why they decided to recast and redesign Peter Parker.
Some fans have been very vocal about Insomniac Games' decision, and have taken to Twitter to express their discontent. Unfortunately, some have taken this to the extreme, and have gone as far as sending death threats to MARVEL's Spider-Man Remastered Creative Director Bryan Intihar.
"To our Spidey fans: I totally appreciate your passion, but sending me threatening notes that you will 'HUNT YOU DOWN AND WE WILL FIND YOU! YOU FIX THIS NOW!' isn't cool. With what's happening in today's world, let's be a force for good and be respectful of each other. Thank you," reads Intihar's tweet in which he reveals some of the threats he's been getting.
I personally don't mind the change at all. In fact, I'm still pretty excited to play the remastered version of MARVEL's Spider-Man, and experience the story all over again. I do, however, understand that some people aren't happy with the change, but some fans, especially self-entitled ones, need to check themselves instead of going around sending threats to the developers.
Sony Interactive Entertainment, Insomniac Games, and Marvel have teamed up to create an authentic Spider-Man adventure. This isn’t the Spider-Man you’ve met or ever seen before. This is an experienced Peter Parker who’s more masterful at fighting big crime in Marvel's New York. At the same time, he’s struggling to balance his chaotic personal life and career while the fate of millions of New Yorkers rest upon his shoulders.
MARVEL's Spider-Man Remastered is expected to launch this Holiday for the PlayStation 5.
MARVEL's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is expected to launch this Holiday for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.