Marvel's Avengers' PlayStation-exclusive Spider-Man content is officially delayed

Developer Crystal Dynamics has confirmed a delay for Marvel's Avengers' PlayStation-exclusive Spider-Man content, which now won't arrive until this summer at the earliest.

Spider-Man was revealed to be coming to Marvel's Avengers - controversially as a PlayStation-only addition - last August, with Crystal Dynamics' announcing an "early 2021" release date for the character. However, questions began to arise earlier this week when the studio revealed a new Marvel's Avengers development roadmap - one in which Spider-Man was notably absent, despite it covering a period through "summer and beyond".

Fans were quick to wonder if the character was the latest casualty of Marvel's Avengers' troubled release - which has so far seen "lower than expected" sales, and delays for the game's initial two post-launch heroes as well as its PS5 and Series X/S update - and Crystal Dynamics' head of studio Scot Amos has now moved to address Spider-Man's conspicuous absence.

Speaking to IGN, Amos confirmed that "formally, officially, people are working on him right now" and that Spider-Man "is still on our roadmap for the future."

However, the only new character featured in Crystal Dynamics' updated content roadmap is Black Panther - whose arrival as part of the War for Wakanda expansion currently falls within the rather nebulous window of 'summer and beyond' - and Amos made clear to IGN that Spider-Man would not arrive before Black Panther. Amos did not share a revised timeframe for the character's release, but insisted, "We still fully expect Spider-Man to come to PlayStation."

While Spider-Man's arrival may still be some way off, Marvel's Avengers' second new hero, Hawkeye, has finally arrived as part of the Operation: Future Imperfect campaign. Additionally, the game's long-awaited PS5 and Xbox Series X/S update is also now live, and Digital Foundry has plenty to say on the release if you're curious about its improvements.