Summary
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2has seemingly been censored so that the open world superhero game could be released in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Previously, it was confirmed thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2features LGBTQ+ elementsthat needed to be modified before the game would be allowed to release in the region.
This meant that theSpider-Man 2release date came and went without a version of the open world superhero game available for purchase in the Middle East. At the time, it was unclear just how long gamers in that region would have to wait to start their own adventures inSpider-Man 2, but the game has now launched in the area.Spider-Man 2’s launch in Saudi Arabia and the UAE includes support for Arabic voice acting and writing, though it also comes with the removal of LGBTQ+ elements.
It’s been reported online that the version ofSpider-Man 2available in Saudi Arabia and the UAE has removed Pride flags fromopen world New York Cityand has tweaked a side mission featuring a gay couple. During the Miles Morales BVU side missions, players are tasked with helping a student ask their boyfriend out for homecoming. This mission apparently still exists in the Middle Eastern version ofSpider-Man 2, but it has been changed so that the two boys are no longer in a romantic relationship.
More potential changes could be revealed in the days asSpider-Man 2fans in Saudi Arabia and the UAE play the game and share their findings on social media. For instance, it has yet to be confirmed ifBlack Catis still bisexual in that version ofSpider-Man 2. In the version of the game released elsewhere in the world, Black Cat makes mention of a girlfriend, which would likely be against the rules laid out by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Media Regulation.
It will be interesting to see how the community reacts to this censorship, especially sinceSpider-Man 2is a game that otherwise features a lot of inclusivity and minority representation. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only controversy that the game has been dealing with as of late, as it was recently discovered that Insomniac accidentally included a Cuban flag on the wall of Miles' apartment instead of Puerto Rican one. Insomniac was quick to release an update fixing theSpider-Man 2flag issue, but the censoring of LGBTQ+ elements in certain versions of the game is likely out of its control.
