Since Marvel’s Wolverine was announced by Insomniac Games in 2021, we haven’t heard much about progression – or even a planned release window. The tenured developer is, of course, hard at work on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, due for release later in 2023, so it’s fair to assume there’s bigger fish to fry. That said, it does appear the first details of the new Wolverine game are slowly trickling out.
According to Giant Bomb‘s Jeff Grubb, who is known for accurate insider reporting – including the recent reveal of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – we may already know the release date, setting, and potential rating for the game.
On Giant Bomb’s Twitch channel (via GameSpot), Grubb reportedly claimed Marvel’s Wolverine could be launching in late 2024, and that Insomniac will be targeting a mature rating, to accurately portray the violence of Wolverine’s back story and abilities.
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‘I’ve heard as early as [Autumn] 2024 [Northern Hemisphere], which would be wild. Insomniac is putting out Spider-Man 2 this [Autumn] 2023 [Northern Hemisphere],’ Grubb said. ‘I’ve also heard internally they’re still very much talking about 2025, so let’s not be surprised if that’s what happens. But if anyone can pull off releasing two major, triple-A, massive games in back-to-back years, it is Insomniac.’
‘Hard R is what they’re going for … that’s one of the concepts that I’ve heard. They will avoid having links or anything that evokes the Fox movies – they want it to stand on its own.’
To that end, Grubb believes the story will not reference the X-Men at all, and will instead feature Wolverine in his ‘lone wolf’ days, prior to joining the superhero team. That leaves room for the game to tell a standalone story that will be unfamiliar to players.
It also opens up a range of possibilities. While Grubb did not elaborate on which time period Marvel’s Wolverine will spotlight – or perhaps this has yet to be nailed down – there’s certainly potential in telling a Wolverine tale without the X-Men. Prior to joining the team, the hero experienced plenty of adventures, based on his comic origins.
He was a soldier in the Canadian army in World War 1, and spent time in the fictional city of Madripoor, where he had a son. He also served in World War 2 alongside Captain America, was captured and experimented on by secret government forces, and even brawled with heroes like the Hulk before finding his way to Xavier’s school.
Any of these stories would be worth telling – and although the early teaser for the game appears to depict Wolverine in the modern day, flashbacks could certainly explore this history at length.
Whatever the case, Marvel’s Wolverine is an exciting prospect. At this stage, the earliest potential release for the game appears to be later in 2024, but we’ll likely hear more after the launch of Spider-Man 2 in late 2023. Stay tuned for more details.
