Despite being on different sides of the platform fence, Marvel’s Wolverine and Starfield have some interesting similarities—from a marketing point of view. Marvel’s Wolverine was confirmed with a brief teaser back in September 2021, and as it stands, fans know next to nothing about it. Indeed, given Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man 2 isn’t set for release until 2023, it’s likely Wolverine won’t manifest until 2024.
Meanwhile, Bethesda revealed Starfield back at E3 2018 and went almost immediately dark with the game. It is set to release this November, but despite its existence being since known then, the amount of information out there about Starfield isn’t necessarily concrete. There’s still a lot to be said, but just like Wolverine, hype is incredibly high for Starfield. The comparisons, in terms of fan reaction and anticipation, go back to one common element of the industry.
Wolverine vs. Starfield
While some lament it, the video game industry is very much fueled by anticipation or "hype", rumors, and speculation. Gaming fans will talk and speculate about what’s next out of a company, sometimes before the company probably has any idea itself. The Elder Scrolls 6 and Grand Theft Auto 6 were household names for rumors and speculation before Bethesda or Rockstar ever even vaguely mentioned them. Where this concept is most palpable is when games are announced years ahead of release—another practice that is sometimes lamented.
Because of their approach, fans know that Starfield is an Xbox exclusive. Wolverine is a PlayStation exclusive. Starfield has only really had one cinematic trailer, a couple of discussions made public, and a release date. Wolverine only has one teaser trailer, and it may be quite a while before it resurfaces. Yet, despite this, fans are excited for both Starfield and Wolverine. The question is why, and it’s pretty simple to answer.
Bethesda is responsible for games like Fallout and Skyrim, and the whole idea of an open-world Sci-Fi game comparable to that style is interesting, to say the least. Meanwhile, Insomniac Games is responsible for Ratchet and Clank, Spider-Man, and more. The pedigree of these studios drives these titles forward, and that’s why so many are excited about both of them—despite knowing so little about them.
Starfield, Wolverine Have to Live Down The Dangers of Hype in Video Games
Truth is, this concept is a double-edged sword. It’s a good thing that games and properties can get such attention, as that may translate to sales and success at launch. But hype can be a dangerous thing. What everyone must understand is that ANYTHING can flop in the video game industry. The safest idea is still a bet. If Elden Ring hadn’t stuck the landing after so much anticipation, the backlash would have been immense. Cyberpunk 2077 and its reception shows the dangers of hyping a game based on the pedigree of its developer, with Witcher developer CD Projekt Red being hit with a huge case of backlash in this situation.
How Starfield and Wolverine eventually stick their landing remains to be seen, and fans definitely want them to be good games. The sheer hype around them right now is totally fine and good for them, but compartmentalizing anticipation and expectation for even the biggest titles goes a long way. Starfield will release sooner, of course, and perhaps it will live up to everything, but it's a similar boat for each of these exclusive titles.
Marvel’s Wolverine is in development for PS5.