The internet is known to flip out over little things that really shouldn’t matter and the Spider-Man puddle controversy is just another example to add on the pile.
So what is the puddle controversy exactly? When a Twitter user by the Twitter handle of Spidey uploaded two screenshots from Spider-man in 2017 and 2018 that were both taken of the exact same scene and setting. On the 2017 picture, a pretty large puddle can be seen, whereas, in the 2018 picture, that puddle has become a lot smaller. Obviously, this caused people to immediately lose it and start calling out the developers for downgrading the graphics of the game.
@insomniacgames @JamesStevenson @bryanintihar What’s with the downgrade yet again? #SpiderManPS4
(top is 2017, bottom 2018) pic.twitter.com/bab85E624A— Spidey (@spiydaman) August 20, 2018
The screenshots have caused quite a few serious discussions on the internet. The original Twitter post spawned numerous replies that compared anything you could possibly see on the two pictures. From highlights on Spider-man’s suits to textures of the walls, and shadows underneath pipes. Everything was being investigated to find evidence of Insomniac downgrading the graphics. A grave discussion also formed on Reddit, where the screenshot comparison post reached a total of almost 3000 comments.
Fortunately, Insomniac community director James Stevenson came to the rescue and explained to everyone that the game had not been downgraded. He even explained that he talked with the art staff, technical staff, and engineering staff but that nothing was downgraded. The man even looked at the live code of the game. Yet some people found it very hard to believe him so he explained that the position of the sun affects the whole look of the game.
I am telling you I talked to the technical and engineering and art staff, and looked at the live code of this from the final build. There was NO DOWNGRADE.
— James Stevenson (@JamesStevenson) August 26, 2018
The graphics downgrade discussion is not something new to video games. Over and over we see people completely losing it over the fact that what they saw in a trailer won’t be what they are getting in a game. Although I understand the sentiment, these outrages just make it harder and harder for game developers to show anything that is still in production. If every little change sparks an outrage it’s better to show hardly anything at all.
Fortunately, since the internet is the internet, this entire debacle has also created a few short-lived but enjoyable memes.
RT if you think that Sony should include this icon on the back of their game boxes from now on pic.twitter.com/MMOIeFvJjy
— Nibel (@Nibellion) August 30, 2018
But WHY did they change anything? #PuddleGate pic.twitter.com/xlzJ5TLcF3
— Julie D Kennedy (@4JDangerKennedy) August 30, 2018
