Wolverine fights tooth and claw in PS5 exclusive

A new singleplayer game places the ferocious antihero Wolverine in a fight against the Reavers, a cybernetic militia bent on destroying mutantkind. In this Marvel universe, the X-Men superhero team does not yet exist.

Marvel’s Wolverine is available exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. The title released on Tuesday (15 September 2026).

Developer Insomniac Games has not softened Wolverine for a broader superhero audience, as the title’s first gameplay trailer revealed. Fast, brutal combat uses claws, kicks, lunges and dismembering strikes to express the conflict between Logan’s humanity and the living weapon he was forced to become.

The studio brings formidable credentials: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 became the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game at launch, moving more than 2.5-million copies during the first 24 hours. Spider-Man’s web-swinging and acrobatics reflected Insomniac’s character-first design; Wolverine instead closes the distance, takes the hit and keeps coming. Both heroes occupy the studio’s original Marvel universe, although Wolverine tells a standalone story.

The narrative picks up three years after Wolverine walks away from mutant task force Team X. He returns during the group’s darkest hour as billionaire industrialist Bolivar Trask pursues his belief in human superiority.

Trask commands the Reavers, who abduct, study and kill people carrying the mutant X-gene. Geneticist Nathaniel Essex formed Team X to protect those being hunted, bringing Logan back alongside telekinetic Jean Grey, the shapeshifter Mystique and old adversary Sabretooth.

Rage functions as a three-tier gameplay system tied to survival, resilience and fury. Techniques unlock additional moves, while swappable adaptations can expand parry windows, reduce damage from gunfire or make enemies more vulnerable to intimidation. Players can equip four special techniques at once, including the spinning Tornado attack, Knee Breaker and Spiral Strike.

Logan’s healing factor is equally important. When bloodied and close to defeat, he can activate Last Stand to recover and continue fighting. The mechanic turns one of his defining powers into a final chance to reverse a battle.

The game is not open-world, but the journey stretches from the frozen Canadian wilderness to Tokyo and the Hightown and Lowtown districts of Madripoor, Marvel’s fictional island nation and criminal haven. These environments bring Logan into conflict with villains Omega Red and Deathstrike, as well as the Hand, an ancient order of assassins with deep connections to his comic-book history.

Each location provides room for exploration. Enhanced senses can uncover conversations, scents, hidden routes and material crates. Collectable whisky bottles reveal pieces of Logan’s missing memory, while Nightmare Doors lead to combat and traversal trials connected to his past.

Unlockable costumes draw from comic-book identities and versions such as Weapon X, Old Man Logan, Patch and Ultimate Wolverine, along with movies and animation. Bone, curved, reflective and other claw designs extend that customisation beyond the iconic yellow suit.

DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers aim to give attacks a physical edge. The game is PS5 Pro Enhanced, with PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution supporting improved image quality and frame rates.

Marvel Comics introduced Wolverine in 1974, with a final-page appearance in The Incredible Hulk #180 followed by his first full battle in issue #181. Writer Len Wein and artist Herb Trimpe launched the Canadian fighter, while John Romita Sr designed the original yellow-and-blue costume.

Wolverine joined the X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men #1 in 1975 and became one of the franchise’s defining characters. Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s 1982 solo series deepened his connection to Japan and explored the conflict between animal fury, discipline and honour.

Later stories revealed that Logan was born James Howlett and survived the Weapon X programme because of his regenerative powers. The programme bonded adamantium to his skeleton, but memory loss left him searching for the truth behind the procedure.

Cinema gave the character another life through Hugh Jackman’s fierce portrayal. He first played Logan in 2000’s X-Men and spent more than two decades making Wolverine one of the most recognisable comic-book characters on screen. His apparent farewell in the 2017 movie Logan did not hold: Jackman returned in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine.

The new game features Liam McIntyre as the voice of Wolverine, alongside Krizia Bajos as Jean Grey. McIntyre’s casting establishes Insomniac’s protagonist as a separate interpretation rather than an imitation of Jackman’s work. The original continuity allows familiar scars, relationships and rivalries to carry different histories – a hallmark of Marvel’s approach to alternate continuities.

The game carries an IARC 18+ rating for extreme violence and strong language. Players can alter blood, dismemberment and adult-language settings. More than 100 new, returning and improved accessibility features include gameplay assistance, visual filters, subtitles, audio cues and motion-sensitivity options.

The Standard Edition costs R1,499, while the R1,699 Digital Deluxe Edition features five exclusive suits, five claw designs and additional technique points. The pricing is steep, but this is no routine licensed release. Few 2026 games unite a character of Wolverine’s stature with a studio so well suited to translating his powers into play.

Where to play Marvel’s Wolverine

Marvel’s Wolverine is available exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. The title is developed by Insomniac Games in collaboration with Marvel Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

* Visit the ‘Marvel’s Wolverine’ website here.

*Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.