Brand New Day Has the Perfect Fix for Marvel's Spider-Man 3's MJ

Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 hasn’t even been fully confirmed by developer Insomniac Games yet, but the second game’s open-ended finale definitely made it feel like a third chapter is in the works. Peter Parker and Miles Morales both found themselves at major turning points in their lives, and Peter was left with the tough decision to step back a little bit from the world of crime fighting. This leaves Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 in an interesting position when it comes to Peter’s story arc, and his next chapter hopefully looks to the upcoming MCU film Spider-Man: Brand New Day as inspiration, specifically when it comes to how MJ’s role is handled.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s story picks up four years after No Way Home as Peter is living an anonymous life as Spider-Man while all of his loved ones have forgotten who he is, thanks to Doctor Strange’s spell. Neither MJ nor his friend Ned remember Peter, which serves as one of the main emotional struggles throughout the movie. Insomniac shouldn’t completely copy Brand New Day‘s homework when it comes to this story arc, but its influence could be the key to getting rid of MJ’s divisive stealth sequences in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Has One Peter Parker Problem Insomniac Already Solved

Spider-Man: Brand New Day gives Peter Parker a fresh start, but Insomniac already proved resets only work when they actually go somewhere.

MJ’s Role in Insomniac’s Spider-Man Series Has Continued to Ignite Debate

Even those who aren’t really that well-versed in Spider-Man lore still know that Mary Jane Watson is one of the most important people in Peter Parker’s life. That doesn’t mean fans should be playing as her in a Spider-Man game, though. MJ’s gameplay segments in both Marvel’s Spider-Man and the sequel have remained one of the most divisive parts of the game, and the third chapter can hopefully solve the issue.

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MJ’s Stealth Missions Aren’t Necessarily Bad, They’re Just Out of Place

In a world where players can swing through the skyscraper-lined skies of New York City and go head-to-head with various criminals sowing chaos on the streets, being forced to slow down and do missions that just feel like run-of-the-mill stealth quests is frustrating. It really throws a wrench in the story’s pacing, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 3‘s gameplay hopefully takes this into consideration.

Even though Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s MJ missions saw a big improvement from the first game, they still just feel like filler instead of something that’s actually needed in the overall narrative. MJ is already incredibly important in the story, and even though her missions are used by Insomniac to try and drive home that importance even further, it ultimately falls flat.

Brand New Day Has the Ideal MJ Formula for Insomniac to Look to for Inspiration

Copying Brand New Day‘s memory-wipe storyline isn’t the answer. However, MJ’s absence in Peter’s life in Brand New Day could very well be a strong route for Marvel’s Spider-Man 3‘s story to go down. Peter and MJ’s relationship wasn’t the strongest it could have been in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and the third chapter should lean even harder into that, potentially even breaking the couple up for a portion of the game.

Perhaps Peter goes back on his promise to limit crime fighting and is now spending more time on his superhero duties than ever. That could easily form a rift between him and MJ. Even if Insomniac wants to keep the duo together and happy, though, there are better ways to showcase MJ’s importance that don’t involve jarring stealth missions.

MJ Starting a Podcast Could Be Teasing a Shake-Up to Her Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Role

At the end of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, MJ quits the Daily Bugle and goes independent with her very own podcast. Her new independent reporting job is the perfect way for her to be an integral part of the story without feeling like she’s been shoehorned into action segments. MJ’s podcast would be a great replacement for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s Danikast, or it could also be an additional podcast that players get to listen to throughout the game.

MJ’s gameplay segments in both Marvel’s Spider-Man and the sequel have remained one of the most divisive parts of the game, and the third chapter can hopefully solve the issue.

Also, if the third chapter’s story plays around with a scenario where Peter Parker and MJ break up, flying through the New York City skyline while listening to her podcast would add a deeper emotional layer to those moments, since Peter would have to tune into his ex’s show in order to get deeper intel on the city. Not only would this just make more sense for MJ as a character, but it would also make her an even more important voice within the game’s world. MJ has struggled to become a successful reporter and tell the stories that she thinks are worthwhile, and this podcast could finally make that a reality for her.

Insomniac’s next game is Marvel’s Wolverine and is set to launch on September 15, 2026. The developers have pivoted away from MJ-style stealth missions with this project. Stealth is still a mechanic, but it’s optional, since Wolverine is well-known for his aggression. Now that Insomniac has dabbled with a project that features optional stealth, it’s going to be interesting to see if that influences the next Marvel’s Spider-Man game.

Brand New Day is a Reminder That a Character’s Absence Can Sometimes Be More Powerful

Gamers come to the Marvel’s Spider-Man series to play as Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Insomniac wanting to add MJ to the gameplay loop is understandable, but the series’ stealth sections could be a lot more compelling if they were centered entirely around Spider-Man powers. The best way to make MJ feel important to the story is by writing a strong character arc for her instead of forcing her into the gameplay.

Brand New Day is fully aware that Peter Parker is sometimes lost without MJ by his side to be his support system, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 hopefully dives into a similar kind of storyline. One of the biggest conflicts throughout the Spider-Man comics and movies is that Peter can’t have it all. His and MJ’s relationship looked like it was in a better place by Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s ending, but the next chapter might need to pull the rug out from under Peter by separating the two for a while.