The PlayStation Showcase 2021 featured some incredible reveals. While a few games have had rumors and theories surrounding them, the buzz within a community changes once a game is announced. Fans of Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales have been anticipating a sequel for some time, but a surprise announcement was also made at the PlayStation showcase: Marvel’s Wolverine.
While there have been several Marvel heroes and teams developed into video games by Square Enix, the announcement of Marvel’s Wolverine being developed by Insomniac could point to the start of a new connected video game universe. Spider-Man is the perfect jumping-off point for a video game MCU and Marvel’s Wolverine looks like a solid way for such a franchise to expand.
Wolverine's Team-Ups
Wolverine has been featured on several teams throughout Marvel history on top of being the focus of major solo adventures. One of Marvel’s Spider-Man’s strengths was the inclusion of peripheral characters with consistent roles, such as Black Cat and Taskmaster. A Wolverine video game has the same potential, but can take it to a whole new level.
With appearances as an X-Men, an Avenger, and part of the X-Force, Wolverine has teamed up with many of Marvel’s other iconic heroes in the franchise’s most pressing storylines. This makes Marvel’s Wolverine a great avenue for the introduction of more superheroes who should get solo games. This list can become incredibly long, but that only highlights the possibility of Marvel’s Wolverine being the first new branch of a video game MCU.
Ignoring the potential for this franchise to grow doesn’t seem like something in the cards right now. Many characters have already received Easter eggs in the first Spider-Man game. The announced released window of a third installment in the same showcase as the Wolverine-led game only draws attention to the possibility.
While the release date for Marvel’s Wolverine might not be confirmed, between Avengers, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Guardians of the Galaxy this fall, and then the Spider-Man 2 in 2023, it’s clear that Marvel video games are building up fanbases like the MCU. Leaning into this and using the in-depth world that was crafted for Insomniac’s Spider-Man as a means to expand the universe could be a great approach.
It could lead to the introduction of other X-Men, like Rogue, or major conflicts between characters like Wolverine and Black Panther. Even grander is Marvel’s Wolverine potentially leading to another major title that helps establish a video game MCU: an all-new Avengers title from Insomniac.
A New Avengers Game
The main characters for the growing list of Marvel games that Insomniac has under its umbrella have all been members of the Avengers. While this is a status many of Marvel’s heroes have shared, three iconic heroes featuring on the team all getting solo games feels like it should lead to something more. This may very well come to fruition with another Avengers game in the future.
Naming mechanics may become a logistical problem, but the team makeup doesn’t have to be. Logan, Peter Parker, and Miles Morales could all work together as part of an Avengers team. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 already looks like it will pit the two Spider-Men up against Venom in a longer and more cooperative narrative, making larger team-ups a viable future option. On top of this, the Avengers exist within the Spider-Man games, as their home tower reaches up over the top of New York City.
While there are other teams and organizations to choose from, the Avengers are likely the one many fans are most familiar with. It’s a staple in Marvel comics, and the Avengers make up some of the MCU's biggest movies. Given enough time, a new approach to the iconic team in 2025 or beyond seems like a realistic option. With the continued popularity of the What if…? series, a path to variations on what fans know is rapidly becoming a part of Marvel’s multimedia approach.
Future Video Game MCU
A video game MCU is a ways off for now. Marvel’s Wolverine looks to be in the earliest stages of development, and fans have a solid two years before Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 releases. This could make Spider-Man 2 on PS5 similar to No Way Home all over again, but fans are likely willing to wait a while for the chance to go toe-to-toe with Venom. In the meantime, how this will lead up to Wolverine or a video game MCU will continue to be a matter of debate.
There are many approaches to be taken, and working the heroes onto an iconic team is only one option. Marvel’s Wolverine may open up the flood gates for a video game MCU, but could focus on new heroes entirely. The X-Men have been just as popular as the Avengers in the past, and have also featured in their own movies and games. Blade can boast the same with the addition of vampires which in-turn could lead the games down a darker path. The MCU may have needed classic members of the Avengers to establish a base, but the tectonic popularity that superhero media has developed with so many people over the past two decades provides a lot of flexibility for any future plans.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development for PS5.