Pride flags in Marvel’s Spider-Man delight LGBTIQA+ players

I’ve been playing a lot of Marvel’s Spider-Man this weekend so that I can get my review ready for you all, stay tuned for that one soon. However no matter how amazing my time has been with the game nothing can compare to the little skip my heart had when I took a moment to explore the city and landed on the flagpole you see below.

These Pride flags have been found sprinkled across the digital Manhattan that Spider-Man has been spinning his webs across. As one of the fastest selling games of the year the PlayStation 4 exclusive has been making waves across social media with the small but appreciated gesture by the developers.

Representation is so important. It’s something we wanted to put in this game, even in a small way like this.

— Ryan Benno (@BryanRenno) September 8, 2018

Ryan Benno, one of the developers on the game, responded to a popular tweet highlighting Spider-Man in front of the flag making it clear that the choice was deliberate.

Further to that the game includes a secret achievement that asks you to photograph secret locations around the city which includes this particular flag adjacent to a rainbow mural. Upon taking the photograph you receive an on screen prompt that this location represents the Stonewal Inn, a location steeped in LGBTIQA+ history.

While it may seem like a small detail this does point to active decision by the team at Insomniac. The flag and the fact that it can be found across the city for Spider-Man to perch on for selfies shows a recognition to the large impact the LGBTIQA+ community has had on New York. While this small moment might have brought a smile to my face I cannot imagine what it would do for younger members of our community who so desperately need to see welcoming imagery in the media.

If you’re looking to check out the secret photo location for yourself just head to the waypoint in the map below.