‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’ Used a Stock Photo For Martin Li’s Parents

Many players who have taken to the streets of New York in Insomniac Games‘ Marvel’s Spider-Man for the PlayStation 4 know that they are not only filled with crime, but also plenty of Easter eggs. However, the hidden and not-so-hidden secrets weren’t solely in the streets, as they also found homes inside of the city’s buildings, including the likes of Martin Li’s office. As many of you might know, Li is also known as Mr. Negative, but the only negative thing about his office is the fact that his parents aren’t even real.

There’s a good chance that you may have already known that the photo of Li’s parents in Marvel’s Spider-Man is actually a stock photo. It was pointed out back when the game launched because it was also discovered that Peter’s own mother suffered the same fate. However, it would appear that stock photo of Li’s parents is making the rounds again, courtesy of wallcrawlerfacts on Instagram.

What makes things a bit more interesting is the fact that the actor for Li chimed in with a simple explanation for the use of a stock photo. According to Stephen Oyoung, who portrayed Martin Li in Spider-Man PS4, Insomniac had asked if his parents would like to pose for the photo. Unfortunately, they declined as “they were shy,” the actor said.

Yes, this is very much an instance in which stock photos are designed for, but it is interesting nonetheless. I wonder how many other stock photos can be found in video games? Perhaps we need something along the lines of the Twitter account that tells you if you can pet a dog or not in a video game. Maybe we just need more pictures of Spider-Man.

Marvel’s Spider-Man is currently available on PlayStation 4. For more on the game, here’s a snippet from our official review:

“Marvel’s Spider-Man is the best superhero movie you can’t buy a ticket to see, and it’s one of the best open-world games of the generation. Insomniac Games has shown great audacity in its effort to craft a wholly original Spider-Man story, with its own timeline and set of origin stories.

“Having played the game from start to finish, I can say that even the most hardcore comic book fans will have their expectations exceeded by Marvel’s Spider-Man‘s impossible scope and exhaustive fan service.”

What are your thoughts on stock photography being used in video games? Sound off in the comment section below, or hit me up over on Twitter @anarkE7!

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