I wasn’t going to pick up Spider-Man right away. As a conscious consumer, I was going to wait on confirmation from my video game critic peers (mainly Catherine) to see if I was going to grab it now, or wait for a sale later. Over the past week and a bit, the conversation on social media around the latest PlayStation exclusive was so exciting, positive and engaging that I had to be part of the conversation and ended up purchasing the game right away.

This made me think about the new ways in which to market a video game. How can you keep the conversation at a constant high over the course of the launch period? How can a developer make the buzz around the game so engaging that you convert a undecided consumer into a buyer? Other developers and publishers should take note, because Insomniac has it down to a science.

Here are 7 ways Marvel’s Spider-Man snags your attention outside of the game.

1. J. Jonah Jameson’s Podcast

Podcasts are a hot topic right now in the media world. Seems like J. Jonah Jameson needed to find new ways to hate on Spider-Man after retiring from The Daily Bugle. What’s really cool about these audio clips is how they have been integrated into the gameplay. Your actions directly influence what JJ is going to say next! By far the best integration of audio clips as a collectable into a game that I have seen to date.

2. Gay Pride Flag

This was one of the first cool photo opportunities that I stumbled across in-game. The community’s reaction has been very positive. Good on ya Insomniac!

3. Finger Guns

Who doesn’t want to waltz down the street giving passer-by’s the finger guns?!

4. Photo Mode

The photo mode in Spider-Man is next level. Choosing the perfect filter and angle, opting for a selfie, adding stickers are makinsharing your Spider-Man experience so much more fun.

5.Shirtless Spider-Man

Greg Miller and the Kinda Funny community are huge supporters of this game, and the best way to thank their passion is to give them a shout out in game. Now everyone can go meet Shirtless Spider-Man!

6.Three Chest Hairs

Early in the game, Peter makes a comment that the rips in his spidey-suit show his three chest hairs… glad the game is accurate in visualizing this. LOL!

7. Failed Marriage Proposal

Though the reporting on this story is controversial, it’s cool to note that Insomniac was willing to help a gamer out with one of the biggest decisions of his life. Too bad it didn’t pan out.

Are you playing Spider-Man? Tweet us your photos at @thegirlsongames!