The eagerly-awaited new Spider-Man video game for PS4 was released to gamers on Friday Morning, and it did not wait around in terms of smashing records. Spider-Man has already become the fastest selling game of 2018 so far as well as the fastest selling Marvel video game ever.
Not long after the game’s release, eagle-eyed fans began to spot rainbow flags as Peter Parker swung around the streets of New York City. Science-fiction author Saladin Ahmed tweeted, “Wow. I stopped to perch on a building in #Spidermanps4 and looked over and saw this” and went on to say, “Thinking about all the 12-year-old kids who will be playing this game and seeing this in towns where it’s not safe to put that flag up.”
Ahmed continued, “Not saying that it’s some radical move, but just as someone who came up 30 years ago playing Spider-Man video games with boys who constantly hurled homophobic insults at each other IRL this is…different.”
Representation is so important. It's something we wanted to put in this game, even in a small way like this.
— Ryan Benno ⚾️ @blvdnights.bsky.social (@BryanRenno) September 8, 2018
Responding to the tweet, Ryan Benno, one of the video game’s developers, explained that, “Representation is so important. It’s something we wanted to put in this game, even in a small way like this.”
Since the easter egg’s discovery, other Twitter users also expressed their excitement about the rainbow flag’s repeated appearance in the game and were eager to discover the flag in various parts of the game’s setting.
This. Friggin yes to Spidey. Amazing game man! #Spiderman #PRIDE #GAMEOFTHEYEAR #PS4share pic.twitter.com/sV6FqdeKRf
— Helicopter Bitch™️ (@Dusty_Teapot) September 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/robohero/status/1039217582111436806
https://twitter.com/toggleModal/status/1038433450607489024
Spider-Man man celebrates #LGBT pride.#SpidermanPS4@insomniacgames pic.twitter.com/Jayn7YiOBv
— s#i (@shashishekhar) September 10, 2018
Although Marvel is gaining praise for the LGBTQ inclusion in the video game, Game of Thrones actor Kit Harrington has recently hit out at Marvel Studios, questioning why there has not already been a queer superhero in one of Marvel Studio’s blockbuster movies.
In an interview with Variety, the star said, “There’s a big problem with masculinity and homosexuality that they can’t somehow go hand in hand.”
“That we can’t have someone in a Marvel movie who’s gay in real life and plays some superhero. I mean, when is that going to happen?” asked Harrington.
While Marvel has been receiving criticism for its lack of LGBTQ+ representation, rival studios DC have been making strides in representations of queer superheroes, recently casting Ruby Rose as Catwoman, and announcing a lesbian Batwoman television series.
© 2018 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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