Since Marvel’s Wolverine was announced by Insomniac Games in 2023, we haven’t heard much about progression – or perhaps a planned release window. The tenured developer is, obviously, hard at work on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, due for release later in 2023, so it’s fair to visualize there’s bigger fish to fry. Having said that, it will appear the very first details of the new Wolverine game are slowly trickling out.
According to Giant Bomb‘s Jeff Grubb, who's known for accurate insider reporting – including the recent reveal of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – we may know the discharge 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 an adult rating, to accurately portray the violence of Wolverine’s back story and talents.
‘I've heard as soon 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 greatly referring to 2025, why don't we not be surprised if that is what goes on. But if anyone can accomplish releasing two major, triple-A, massive games in back-to-back years, it's Insomniac.’
‘Hard R is what they’re opting for … that’s one of the concepts that I’ve heard. They will avoid having links or anything that evokes the Fox movies – they need it to stand by itself.’
To that end, Grubb believes the storyline will not reference the X-Men at all, and will instead feature Wolverine in the ‘lone wolf’ days, just before joining the superhero team. That leaves room for the game to tell a standalone story that'll be unfamiliar to players.
It also opens up a variety of possibilities. While Grubb didn't elaborate which period of time Marvel’s Wolverine will spotlight – or perhaps this has yet to be nailed down – there’s certainly potential in telling a Wolverine tale with no X-Men. Prior to joining the team, the hero experienced plenty of adventures, based on his comic origins.
He would be a soldier in the Canadian army in World War 1, and spent time in the fictional city of Madripoor, where he'd a son. He also served in World war ii alongside Captain America, was captured and experimented on by secret government forces, and even brawled with heroes such as the Hulk before finding his way to Xavier’s school.
Any of those stories could be worth telling – and although the first teaser for the game seems to depict Wolverine in the current day, flashbacks could certainly explore this history at length.
Whatever the case, Marvel’s Wolverine is an exciting prospect. At this time, the earliest potential release for that game appears to be later in 2024, but we’ll likely hear more following the launch of Spider-Man 2 at the end of 2023. Stay tuned for more details.
