The challenge

• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was one of the most anticipated PlayStation exclusives of its generation. Insomniac Games had built an extraordinarily detailed recreation of New York City, and the narrative ran through communities, boroughs, and demographics that had to feel real — not approximated. For a game this culturally specific, surface-level accuracy wasn't enough.

• As a UX Researcher at PlayStation supporting first-party development, part of my role was ensuring the games I worked on could withstand scrutiny from the players who knew the source material best.

What I did

• I helped design and run narrative interviews and accuracy research focused on New York demographics — recruiting participants who could speak to the authenticity of the game's setting, characters, and story from lived experience. The research involved survey design, moderated interviews, and behavioral observation across multiple study phases embedded in the development pipeline.

• I compiled findings into reports that supported the development team's decision-making on narrative and environmental detail, ensuring that the game's portrayal of New York and its communities reflected genuine insight rather than assumption.

The result

• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 launched October 2023 to widespread critical acclaim, becoming one of the fastest-selling PlayStation exclusives ever and earning a Metacritic score in the 90s. The care taken in narrative research contributed to a game that players recognized as not just technically impressive, but culturally credible.