After cracking the comic book video game formula with its two Spider-Man adaptations, Insomniac Games has now set its sights on another instantly recognizable Disney-owned superhero. Announced completely out of left field during Sony's September PlayStation Showcase, Marvel's Wolverine looks set to be unlike anything else that the studio has so far turned its hand to. Naturally, based on Logan's more overtly mature history, fans have been speculating for months as to what shape and form the studio's game will take when it arrives on PS5 at an undetermined point in the console's future.
Aside from the obvious gameplay difference that will be involved compared to the studio's previous superhero titles, thanks to the power sets each character commands, the overall tone of Marvel's Wolverine will be the biggest factors for Insomniac Games to grapple with. While Spidey's notoriously quippy approach to serious topics often still comes hand-in-hand with more somber adult themes, a balance both Marvel Spider-Man entries strikes perfectly, the clawed Logan more often than not gets bluntly to the point when it comes to exploring mature content. This has prompted many fans to make a case for the game being released with an ESRB M-rating, to fully capture the brutal spirit of the property and hero. For a number of compelling reasons, it's easy to agree and disagree with this idea.
Yes - Standing Out From the Crowd
Taking a look at the lineup of upcoming and recently released comic book video games, even beyond Marvel's own creations, reveals a comparative lack of M-rated titles. Thanks to the success that Marvel's Spider-Man and the newest Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy games have achieved with Teen-ratings, and the fact that more titles are naturally going to follow their lead, there's a widening gap in the market for a mature Wolverine dissection to jump into and thrive. In the past, Marvel has been no stranger to creating games like this either, with Logan himself having appeared in more adult centric titles like 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the polarizing Nolan North-voiced Deadpool adaptation. Based on these factors, there's a general sense that Insomniac Games' project would benefit deeply, and could be viewed as a breath of fresh air, if it was more mature focused.
In recent years comic book themed books, TV shows, and movies, have all undergone something of an adult age rating renaissance. Following on from the success that Marvel itself achieved with 2016's R-rated Deadpool film, spearheaded admittedly by 20th Century Fox, a whole raft of mature creations have sprung up that have been championed and welcomed by fans. In terms of the atmosphere amongst players, it stands to reason that there's going to be a demand for similarly themed virtual interactive experiences as well. Considering Insomniac Games' Spider-Man franchise has had a transformative effect on Marvel's game adaptations, and has justified Disney's decision to outsource its properties to external developers, there's something poetic about the idea of the studio being the one to also ratchet things up to a whole new level.
Yes - Wolverine's Mature Legacy
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Arguably the biggest reason why Insomniac Games' Marvel's Wolverine should be built around an M-rating, is the simple fact that it makes the most sense for the property. Since his debut back in 1974, the Canadian character has often led the way when it comes to mature, adult-themed comic book content. Fans have subsequently come to expect features like brutal combat in all of their Wolverine media. As such, toning elements of the game down to reach a lower T-rating could potentially risk undermining the project and the standards that have therefore been historically set. Based on comments from Brian Horton, the title's Creative Director, it appears as though the studio is aware of and respects this expectation, and intends to honor the Mutant it now finds itself adapting.
Even though there's been no official confirmation of an M-rating just yet, job listings pointing to gory combat and the aforementioned comments confirming that the game will feature mature elements suggest that it's only a matter of time until that news drops. Peering over at some of Sony's other internally produced games, like Santa Monica Studio's God of War franchise demonstrates how an M-rated game can flourish from a creative perspective in all departments. It's easy to imagine that the liberating nature of an ESRB rating on that level would benefit the overall quality of the game greatly, and would enable Insomniac Games to craft a faithful interpretation of the character that sticks to the source material that fans already love.
No - Marvel's Universal Appeal
Part of Marvel's success over the last decade or so, can be attributed to the universal human appeal that all of its characters embody. In a lot of ways, the superheroes that populate the publisher's games and movies are designed in ways that make them naturally appealing to people of all ages. If Insomniac Games decides to build its Wolverine title around an ESRB M-rating, it stands to reason that a substantial section of the character's fan base will be unable to play it, at least not immediately. While some of Marvel's older, more mature-orientated games have found success in the past, there's a chance that the studio's new game might therefore struggle to match the commercial success it achieved with Spider-Man.
As it stands right now, Marvel Games' Twitter account outlines how it partners with developers to create titles that are specifically rated between RP and T on the ESRB's scale. That of course could change at any moment, considering how Sony's own YouTube channel has seemingly placed an age restriction of the Marvel's Wolverine trailer as a preemptive measure. It does, however, demonstrate how Marvel as a wider entity has been reluctant to fully embrace mature-themed content more broadly.
With the X-Men set to make their long-awaited MCU debut at some point in the not too distant future, there could theoretically be a desire to keep the age rating down on the upcoming game, as a way to prepare fans for their arrival. While there's still far more reasons why an M-rated Marvel's Wolverine would make the most sense, especially from a creative perspective, it wouldn't be the most surprising announcement if all parties involved decide to make the best of a lower one instead.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development for PS5.