Spider-Man: Miles Morales is celebrating its 5-year anniversary today, November 12, 2025. Below, we examine how the half-sequel capitalized on its smaller scope by telling a more intimate story.
Miles Morales swings past a small bodega as snow flurries catch the streetlights. Below him, vendors huddle in heavy coats, music spills from a corner bodega, and the streets of Harlem glow warm against the winter cold. The rhythm of the city seems to match his own momentum–fast, hopeful, alive. It’s familiar territory, but not quite the same New York Peter Parker protected previously. The city feels different now, more personal. It’s Miles’ home.
When Spider-Man: Miles Morales launched alongside the PlayStation 5 in November 2020, it didn’t look like a revolution. It wasn’t a full sequel, didn’t stretch across new boroughs, and didn’t introduce an entirely new rogues’ gallery. On paper, it was a stopgap–a smaller-scale spin-off meant to show off Sony’s new console and tide fans over until the next big thing.
