Insomniac's upcoming Spider-Man: Miles Morales contains more than a few antagonists, but all the core conflicts stem from one nefarious source: Roxxon. An energy conglomerate, Roxxon promises to usher in a new era of clean energy with its Nuform project, spearheaded by the shady Simon Krieger.
Roxxon claims Nuform is the future but the reality is much darker and this leads them into conflict with the Underground, a tech-savvy gang lead by the Tinkerer. Over the course of the game, Miles unravels a conspiracy that threatens the safety of not just Harlem but the world at large. That is to say, Roxxon is up to no good, a reality that will come to no surprise to anyone familiar with Marvel comics.
Roxxon has a long history in Marvel comics and first appeared in the 1974's Captain America #180. The mega-corporation had humble beginnings, starting as a small business called the Roxxon Oil Company in the early 20th century. Eventually, the company's success would catch the eye of J.T. Jones, a Texan oil magnate and owner of Republic Oil and Natural Gas. Jones bought Roxxon Oil and passed it unto his son Hugh Jones. Hugh combined all his fathers holdings and created Roxxon Energy, and the evil conglomerate of the Marvel universe was born.
Roxxon's History and Its Ongoing Role In The MCU
Roxxon's pernicious plans began near its formation. During World War II, the company emerged as a competitor to Stark Industries and played both sides of the war. Roxxon funded SHIELD, helping the intelligence agency get off the ground, while also supplying Hydra with advanced weaponry. From there, Roxxon's villainy would only grow. They even ordered the assassination of Howard and Maria Stark, Tony Stark's parents. Over the years Roxxon has become a central villain for numerous Marvel Superheroes including Iron Man, Captain America, and the Avengers. Led by greedy corporate executives, Roxxon is always willing to jeopardize the well-being of others in order to earn a profit, just as they do in Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Roxxon also has had a constant, though covert, presence in the MCU. Glimpses and references to the cooperation have been observed in all three Iron Man films, Agent Carter, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daredevil, and Cloak & Dagger. Most recently, the cooperation was spotted in set images from the upcoming Loki TV series. Details of the show are scarce but Roxxon's prominence, and presence in early pictures, imply that it might be on its way to becoming a primary antagonist for Marvel superheroes in Phase 4 of the MCU.
Roxxon is the source of a lot of pain for Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but he is not alone in being tested by this cruel conglomerate. Roxxon has rich history, despite only being occasionally referenced in the MCU. However, with the recent set reveals of the Loki TV show that may be changing. Spider-Man: Miles Morales may just be ahead of the curve in making Roxxon its central baddy.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is available on PS5 and PS4.