Following its work on 2018’s critically acclaimedMarvel’s Spider-Man,gamers were justifiably excited when Insomniac Games announced it would be placing the spotlight on Wolverine for its next Marvel-related title afterSpider-Man 2. With almost two years having passed since the announcement ofMarvel’s Wolverineat the 2021 PlayStation Showcase, though, some fans of the clawed Canadian are growing tired of waiting for his arrival. But given Wolverine’s prominent role inDeadpool 3and recent trends in gaming, that film’s now-uncertain future could mean an even longerwait forMarvel’s Wolverine.
Although the early-2000s heyday of nearly every blockbuster film having a tie-in video game has long since passed, it’s not uncommon for movies and games set in the same universe to be in development at the same time. But, as those who’ve been following the repeatedrelease delays for Ubisoft’sAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorahave learned, even when a movie and game aren’t direct tie-ins, delays in the schedule for one are often echoed by the other. With the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike putting production on the Wolverine-heavyDeadpool 3in limbo for the moment, ifMarvel’s Wolverinefollows this trend it could potentially be a long wait before its release.
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Unlike Wolverine’s last major video game,2009’sX-Men Origins: Wolverine, Insomniac Games’Marvel’s Wolverinehas no connections to a Wolverine film.With no movie tie-inWolverine’s release probably shouldn’t be affected byDeadpool 3’s delays, but recent history suggests that the delays for the film could still have an impact on the launch of the game. Whether as a result of marketing decisions or pure chance, it’s been rare in recent years for films and games in the same franchise to be released in the same time window.
Ubisoft’sAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora, initially meant to launch ahead of the second film, is a recent example of this trend but far from the only one.Avalanche Studios’Mad Max, which likeMarvel’s Wolverinefeatures the title character in a story wholly separate from his film appearance, didn’t arrive on consoles and PC until several months after the release ofMad Max: Fury Road. Even ifMarvel’s Wolverinemanages to be ready for launch long beforeDeadpool 3, though, Sony could still choose to hold back the game for purely financial reasons.
Sony Could Hold Back Wolverine to Cash in on Deadpool 3
Assuming that development onMarvel’s Wolverinefinishes before the release ofDeadpool 3, Sony might still decide to delay the game in order to cash in on the hype surrounding the movie. Whereas Sony owns the film rights for Spider-Man, meaning it can make money on both the Web Head’s big screen appearances and his console outings, the film rights for Wolverine belong to Fox. Unable to capitalize on Wolverine’s appearance inDeadpool 3directly, the best financial move for Sony could be to hold backMarvel’s Wolverineuntil after the film’s release to cash in on excitement around the character.
While such a decision might draw some gamers’ ire, it could also give Insomniac Games a bit of breathing room to finish the game without forcing developers to crunch. AfterMarvel’s Wolverinewas a no-show at PlayStation Showcase 2023many gamers already assumed the studio was focusing its resources on finishingMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, and pushing backWolverinecould allow it to do just that. This extra development time could result in both superhero titles being released in a better state than they might have otherwise.
Until Insomniac Games provides some definitive answers, fans will just have to wait to see what the future holds forMarvel’s Wolverine. WhileDeadpool 3’s delays may ultimately have no effect on the game’s launch, hopefully the film will at least inspire Insomniac to includeWolverine’s classic costumewheneverMarvel’s Wolverinereleases.
