Marvel’s Wolverine finally showed off its first extended gameplay footage at State of Play 2026, and Insomniac Games isn’t holding back.
The PS5 exclusive puts Logan in the classic yellow suit and throws him into brutal, bloody combat against the Reavers, with Jean Grey, Bolivar Trask, Team X, and Sabretooth all factoring into the story. The new footage also confirms the tone: this is not the family-friendly Wolverine. This is Logan cutting loose.
Marvel’s Wolverine arrives on PlayStation 5 on September 15, 2026, with pre-orders now live.
Wolverine Gameplay Goes Full R-Rated
The new gameplay footage opens with Logan tracking captured mutants who have been hunted by the Reavers, a cybernetic militia working for Bolivar Trask. PlayStation describes Trask as a billionaire industrialist with a belief in human superiority, which already puts the game right in classic X-Men territory.
The official description sets the tone: “With the fate of humans and mutants hanging in the balance, Logan knows the world needs a hero. However, they’ll have to settle for Wolverine.”
The footage shows Wolverine stalking enemies, dropping from above, tearing through Reavers, and carving through them with fast claw attacks. The blood and gore are front and center, with dismemberment, brutal finishers, and Logan taking visible damage during fights.
Insomniac also showed Jean Grey joining the action. She uses her telekinetic powers in combat and can set enemies up for Wolverine’s Critical Strikes. Those finishers can happen solo or with other characters, giving the game some team-up action without making it a co-op game.
Rage, Healing Factor, and Brutal Finishers
IGN spoke with creative director Marcus Smith and game director Mike Daly, who confirmed the violence was part of the plan from the start.
Daly said the goal was to deliver the “ultimate Wolverine fantasy,” which meant the violence was never really in question. He described the game as “unapologetically violent,” but said Insomniac didn’t want it to feel cartoonish or overdone. Smith added that the violence also helps show Logan’s relentlessness, since Wolverine takes damage, feels pain, and keeps going.
The combat also includes dismemberment during gameplay, not just cutscenes. Daly told IGN players can chop off limbs or do even more violent damage during especially brutal moves after breaking down enemy defenses. Smith said the key is making it feel like Logan is efficient in combat, not someone who enjoys the violence.
The footage also reveals a rage system. Attacks, parries, and kills build Logan’s Rage, which powers up his combos and lets him enter a more feral combat state. At higher rage levels, Wolverine can use Critical Strikes and tear through enemies quickly. Rage also ties into his Healing Factor, giving players a chance to recover when Logan takes heavy damage.
Daly explained that Wolverine can still die in the game if his healing factor is overloaded and his heart stops. Having enough rage can trigger a Healing Surge, giving Logan a second chance. His body damage also reflects his current health, then heals in real time as he regenerates.
Jean Grey, Sabretooth, Team X, and No Spider-Man Crossover
The game is a linear single-player adventure, not an open-world game like Insomniac’s Spider-Man titles. Daly told IGN the team wanted a “globe-hopping adventure” with comic book-style pacing, dense story, and mission areas that offer different paths, optional stealth, collectibles, and room to explore.
Logan is playable the whole way through. Daly said the game stays focused on Wolverine and does not include playable sections with other characters.
Jean Grey plays a major role in the footage, and Insomniac confirmed she can fight alongside Logan, use telepathy in stealth sections, and create combat openings.
Sabretooth also appears, but his dynamic with Logan is different. Daly said Logan and Sabretooth are actually on a team together in the game, though their relationship is competitive, with Sabretooth even stealing kills during fights.
Smith also confirmed Marvel’s Wolverine takes place in Earth-1048, the same Insomniac Marvel video game universe as Spider-Man. However, Spider-Man will not appear in the game.
The story starts with Logan as a former member of Team X who has been gone for several years (the X-Men do not exist in this universe). He returns on a mission to help mutants around the world, but Insomniac is keeping the bigger twists under wraps. Callisto is also shown off.
PlayStation’s own breakdown says Team X is a mutant task force facing its darkest hour, with Logan rejoining after leaving three years earlier.
Release Date and Pre-Order Details
Marvel’s Wolverine launches September 15, 2026, exclusively on PlayStation 5. The standard edition costs $69.99, while the Digital Deluxe Edition costs $79.99.
Pre-order bonuses include the Classic Brown Suit early unlock, Reflective Claws, one Technique Point, and four PlayStation Avatars featuring Mystique, Logan, Jean, and Sabretooth. The Digital Deluxe Edition adds five exclusive suits, five exclusive claw sets, and three additional Technique Points.
Insomniac also confirmed the game will launch with accessibility options, including a gore toggle for players who want the Wolverine experience without all the blood.
Watch the trailer:
