Spider-Man for PS4 may be about 18 months old, but players are still discovering new Easter eggs hidden in the game, like a new one connecting Ant-Man to Norman Osborn. Spider-Man is already packed with Easter eggs, including those connecting other members of The Avengers to the game’s universe, so it may not be too surprising to see a shoutout to Hank Pym.
Spider-Man was a smash hit when it was released in 2018, quickly becoming the fastest selling game ever for PlayStation. It features a meticulously crafted version of New York City packed with not only recreations of some of the city’s most famous landmarks, but also nods to other Marvel properties. It even included references to fan-favorite Spider-Man films, eventually getting the Spidey suit from Sam Raimi’s series as an in-game costume option.
Now, a fan has uncovered a subtle reference to a complicated Marvel superhero that’s recently gotten a lot more attention thanks to The Avengers and the Ant-Man series. Aptly named Reddit user SuperiorArachnid found a framed certificate bestowing an “Achievement in Science” award from the Pym Institute to Norman Osborn. Players can check out the Easter egg in-game for themselves in Osborn’s penthouse.
It’s likely that the newly uncovered reference to Ant-Man is nothing but a wink to the fans, especially in a game that makes mentions of so many different Marvel characters. However, there’s always a chance that some of Spider-Man’s many Easter eggs could be setting up for something bigger. While no sequel to Spider-Man has been announced yet, the game’s success makes a follow-up seems all but inevitable. When the next game does eventually come along, Spidey could very well be joined by some of his fellow superheroes to help take down whatever new threat is facing New York City in Spider-Man's sequel. On the other hand, the upcoming Square Enix game Marvel’s Avengers could be hoarding lots of Marvel characters for itself. Either way, there are ways that fans could see Ant-Man pop up in a more substantial video game role sooner or later.
The fact that new Easter eggs are still being discovered just goes to show how much detail developer Insomniac Games put into its version of New York City for Spider-Man. It’s one of the many things that made Spider-Man so successful and likely one of the equally numerous reasons that led Sony to buy Insomniac in 2019. Whether or not Hank Pym shows up again, Peter Parker looks like he’s got a long career ahead of him on PlayStation.
Spider-Man is available now on PlayStation 4.
Source: SuperiorArachnid/Reddit