Marvel’s Wolverine: Everything We Know

Insomniac Games, creator behind the award-winning Marvel's Spider-Man, is gearing up to bring none other than X-Men's Wolverine to a fresh action-packed slate on PlayStation 5. And it's about time, too, what with the last chapter being just shy of fourteen years old this year. The only issue is, well, we don't actually know when it'll release. Fall 2024, though, apparently.

We're certainly still a fair ways off yet, which means you shouldn't expect to see any major updates until the fourth quarter of 2023 at the very earliest. That said, if you're curious to know what details Insomniac Games has already teased ahead of its launch, then be sure to read on. Marvel's Wolverine: what is it, and why has it been billed as one of the most anticipated console exclusives of the year?

What Is Marvel's Wolverine?

Marvel's Wolverine is an upcoming third-person action-adventure game by Insomniac Games. According to the devs, the forthcoming chapter will be a “standalone game” set in the Marvel Universe, and will feature a world that goes beyond the iconic Xavier Institute. It will also serve as the first Wolverine game since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. So, quite the homecoming, after all.

Sadly, as Insomniac Games is between two projects—the priority task being Marvel's Spider-Man 2—it does mean old Logan probably won't be around to grace the PS5 at any point this year. If what others are saying is true, however, then we could see it arrive by the third quarter of 2024. Only time will tell on that one.

Story

If you were hoping for an in-depth story passage featuring all the bells and whistles and what have you, then you're in for a bit of a shocker. Truth is, we don't actually know what Marvel's Wolverine will be about, only that it'll center its universe around James “Logan” Howlett, otherwise known by his Mutant name of Wolverine. And it'll stay true to the comics, too, apparently. So, if you're an avid Marvel fan, then you'll no doubt already have a fairly vague idea of what to expect here.

According to Insomniac Games, as well as featuring a palette of riveting action-heavy gameplay elements, Marvel's Wolverine will also deliver an “emotional narrative.” And with that, we leave it to Insomniac to shed a little extra light on, if and when available.

Gameplay

Unfortunately, we can't say for sure what the gameplay will look like yet. That said, Insomniac Games does have a reputation for creating third-person action-adventure games with slinky and flawlessly inventive combat. So, the most we can base it on at this point in time is  Marvel's Spider-Man. Though, perhaps slightly more rugged, and not to mention gorier than the bog-standard superhero flick.

“One of the key elements that drew us to him is surprisingly not that different from Spider-Man: Both heroes feel deeply compelled to defend people who are less able to do so”, Ryan Schneider, head of franchise strategy at Insomniac Games, noted. “In the vein of our Spider-Man games, our goal here is to not only respect the DNA of what makes the character so popular, but also look for opportunities to make it feel fresh and truly reflect the Insomniac spirit.”

Development

Insomniac Games, one of Sony's first-party studios, and not to mention globally renowned creator behind the Ratchet & Clank series, first announced its plans to resurrect Wolverine back in 2021. Since then, not a great deal has come to pass as far as story or gameplay details travel. And it's understandable, given the fact that Insomniac Games currently has its hands tied with not only Marvel's Wolverine, but Marvel's Spider-Man 2, as well.

Fortunately, Marvel's Wolverine is being led by Cameron Christian, the same director who helped bring Spider-Man: Miles Morales to fruition. So, if you had any doubts about Insomniac Games not being up to the task of creating a solid video game adaptation of a beloved comic book, then rest assured. Bottom line is, it's in safe hands.

Trailer

In spite of the sheer lack of gameplay details surrounding Marvel's Wolverine, Insomniac Games has, if only just, released a sneak preview as a way to stoke the hype train. And it isn't much, truly, but it does serve its purpose, which is to slot avid Marvel fans on their edge of their seats. Need we say more? You can catch a glimpse of the early announcement trailer in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Marvel's Wolverine will be coming to PlayStation 5 as a day-one exclusive. It hasn't been said yet whether or not it'll hit PlayStation 4, though rumors have been gravitating towards the likelihood of it being locked to next-gen hardware only. And it makes sense, too, given the fact that Sony has been gradually cutting ties with its older software and ex-gen IPs these past twelve months.

So, when will we see Logan in the virtual flesh, then? Well, going by what's been said, Insomniac Games is still making small adjustments to the game—as it has been since 2021, at which point the Ryan Schneider, head of franchise strategy noted that it was “very early in development.” Judging by that, and what insiders have been claiming, Marvel's Wolverine probably won't be out until Fall 2024 at the very earliest. Maybe even 2025, at a push.

Of course, it's far too early to open the book up on special editions or any pre-order bonuses that may or may not launch in tandem with the release date announcement. Fact is, Insomniac Games has yet to reveal anything of the sort. But, if anything does come about, then you'll be able to find it posted on the PlayStation Store.

If you're planning on keeping up to date with Marvel's Wolverine, then you should definitely consider following the official social feed here. If anything changes ahead of its launch, we'll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Marvel's Wolverine when it drops? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.