In a surprise twist, Sony's competitor and Xbox overlord, Microsoft, seems to think that Marvel's Wolverine, a PlayStation first-party exclusive currently in development at Insomniac Games, will release in 2023. That's according to a regulatory filing published by Microsoft, resulting from the ongoing war of words regarding the whole Call of Duty exclusivity thing.
First spotted by Tech4Gamers, the filing is, as you might imagine, quite dry, but there are a few lines which might just quicken your heart rate, reading "PlayStation also has a spate of first- and third-party exclusive titles lined up for launch in 2023, including Spider-Man 2, Wolverine, Horizon, Final Fantasy XVI, and Forspoken."
Now, right off the bat, it's worth noting that Microsoft might simply be mistaken. After all, we were under the impression that Wolverine was still years away, despite Insomniac staffers already showing off some awesome swag. It is also not out of the realm of possibility, though, that Microsoft has some kind of inside information we are not privy to. Only time will tell, sadly, but we will be sure to update you as soon as we learn more.
When do you think we will see Marvel's Wolverine? Is Microsoft simply mistaken, or was this information obtained during some kind of outrageous Sam Fisher-esque infiltration of Insomniac HQ? Speculate wildly in the comments section below.
[source tech4gamers.com, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 48
Doesn’t really tally up with a complete lack of showcase and hiding of PS’s future by the company itself though.
Microsoft being Microsoft. Google. Amazon. Microsoft. Do people actually trust these companies? Fools if they do.
They do have two studios, so I could see it, that's probably what they're shooting for, but I wouldn't be surprised if it gets pushed to 2024 before they announce a date.
Unlikely, but it is Insomniac so who knows.
Please don’t release Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine in close succession. Give each a little time to shine.
It's cute that Microsoft knows Sony's first party release timeframes when it hasn't released anything in...what is it now? 24 months? Pretty close, if not.
They've made quite a few wild and inaccurate claims about Sony now, their lack of understanding about the game industry is shocking.
@Eagly "still doesn’t feel like weve had a generation defining game yet"
Nope just a bunch of really shiny PS4 games! We've had some great games but nothing that has put the PS5 in overdrive (Demon Souls probably got the closest to making the PS5 sweat).
Yeah no way this is out next year when Spider-Man 2 is coming out. They probably just added it to puff up the list
Insomniac Games themselves already stated that they are completely focused on the development of Spider-Man 2 before focusing all their efforts into Wolverine. While it's true that Insomniac does have two teams, while developing 2018's Spider-Man, they had the majority of both teams working on it, so I imagine the process for Spider-Man 2 is the same while likely having a small team working on Wolverine, once Spider-Man 2 is done, development of Wolverine will shift into high gear.
Microsoft only included Wolverine to make the argument that Sony don't need Call of Duty because of all First-Party Games and Second-Party & Third-Party deals that PS has... and whose fault is that Phil? You have 30+ Studios and you mean to tell me you can't release a steady stream of games on a yearly basis, yet Sony AND Nintendo can?
Most likely scenario is that Wolverine is a late 2024 or early 2025 game, not to mention Insomniac Games said themselves that Wolverine was still in the pre-production phase when it was revealed in September 2021. Insomniac Games may be experts in their craft of developing multiple games at once & releasing them in a timely manner, but they're still human, Wolverine not coming in 2023, so let's just allow these wizards to work their magic, Wolverine is guaranteed to be something amazing, just as Spider-Man & Spider-Man: Miles Morales were.
Microsoft thought Breath of The Wild 2, Metroid Prime 4 and Bayonetta 3 would come out in 2020 so I'm not sure they are the most reliable for this kind of stuff
Can't really see how Wolverine-quite possibly a single player focused game like Spiderman somehow ranks bigger than the online behemoth that is COD,(like it or hate it),& the truckload of other recent past & dormant IP's in Activision Blizzard's closet,(nevermind Zenimax prior to that).
They apparently turned down the opportunity to do Spiderman before Insomniac/Sony took it up & aren't Bethesda now doing an Indiana Jones game? So how is Wolverine apparently bigger than all their billion dollar buyouts hoarding previously 3rd party games?🤔🙄
Would have to echo the voices above - There's no way Wolvie is coming out in the same year as Spider-Man 2. The two games would have a significant overlap in potential players, and both are coming from the same studio.
Either Insomniac are more awesome than we thought, or someone at MS is doing some heavy speculating.
@Oz_Momotaro The fanboys are so bad on Youtube i only watch digital foundry or Lamar Wilson.
@Shepherd_Tallon I'm going with the latter what you stated makes way too much sense.
@JustPlainLoco 30 studios he's worked to accumulate since he got his promotion so no time to make games really and that situation bled over into early current gen. The old leadership really screwed xbox it was down to 6 studios and Kinect focused when he took over.
I think they were trying to say that Sony has a Number of Upcoming announced games expected in 2023 (and beyond). Whether they do release Wolverine in 2023 or not is not the point, its more to illustrate that Sony have their own Games - some that are extremely BIG IP's and bigger than Call of Duty (Spider-Man, Wolverine and Final Fantasy - all of which have been around a lot longer and Marvel properties are bigger than any individual Gaming IP).
It's also illustrating that Sony have their 'own' Exclusives to compete - regardless. Like Nintendo competes with their Exclusives and successfully too. People buy Hardware for the Exclusives because the rest of the games are accessible regardless. Sony's exceptionally strong exclusives (not just critical success, but also built a strong reputation and loyal fanbase), as illustrated by MS on Sony's upcoming releases, will be more than enough to 'Compete' with MS if/when the A/B deal goes through.
That's my take on this - whether Wolverine is likely to release in 2023 or not, it was more about illustrating the strength of Sony's upcoming exclusives to 'compete', and also illustrating that 2 'Marvel' global IP's are being 'limited/restricted' to just Playstation ONLY gamers.
I don't see Wolverine happening in 2023, it'll be Fall 2024 at the earliest given Spider-Man 2 timing. This is just Microsoft making up nonsense to try and make the Activision acquisition appear more acceptable.
Of course two different games can both come out in the same year. Everyone claiming Spider-Man 2 coming out in 2023 as proof that Wolverine can't come out in 2023 are being ridiculous.
@Juanalf @Eagly Exact reason I'm still waiting cos at the moment, a PS4 Pro with internal SSD is doing everything I can throw at it.
That said, I also hate the PS5's ugly oversized design so I'll hopefully last until next year's redesign. Might have some games out by then...
No chance Wolverine is launching next year. Tbh, im still amazed Spiderman is coming as soon as 2023
@Oz_Momotaro this type of fanboyism has been around for decades ,back in the day it was c64 vs spectrum, megadrive vs snes ,its always been around it seems more prevalant now because of social media etc.
I dont understand why ms listing sonys release schedule, has any baring on the concerns Sony has over the cod acquisition
@lacerz Yup ***** google keeps trying to take a snapshot with my webcam whenever I use chrome.
@Eagly Returnal is just that and its amazing.
Didn't they reveal wolverine back in 2020 November? That would be enough time to late 2023 to release a game. However, I doubt they will release both spider man 2 and wolverine in the same year.
@Oz_Momotaro I have a family too and have been gaming since the NES. Everything seems worse on the internet. People online are very toxic and so I won't enable my kids to communicate with others online. But in the real world, no one cares about Microsoft vs Sony vs Nintendo. We're just happy to be playing games. I've got friends who mostly do Sony or Nintendo or PC or Xbox and we all get along just fine. At the various convention events I've attended, no one is putting anyone down for their choice of plastic box or spewing anti-company nonsense.
@BAMozzy You're making sense. Stop that. LOL!
Ok micro you are so soft.i doubt it.with spiderman 2 coming first.but we will see.the wolverines video game by insomniac is gonna be amazing.word up son
I doubt it very much. I'd bet Spiderman will be a fall release. They hate releasing games close to eachother, so Id bet a spring 2024 release at the earliest.
Hmm... I'm going with they pulled that out of their arse.
Ain't that industrial espionage or whatever its called?
Because if MS is that sure then they must be getting inside info.
Wolverine at best is in pre-production. It not a number 2 like Spider-man but a new ip and that takes a lot of time with prototyping, writing story etc. I presume Wolverine will go full steam AFTER Spider-man 2. M$ should stay with the facts but that doesn't look as exciting I guess so they pull something out of their behind like always.
I want to know what "Horizon " gsne MS thinks is coming out in 2023? The PSVR 2 game?
@3Above I'd guess so, pretty sure it's supposed to be a launch title. I can hope it's DLC, but Call of the Mountain is more likely
No way in hell this is coming out in 2023.
I could see Spidey as a Spring release and Wolverine in the Autumn
If it is 2023 i doubt it will be before the run up to Xmas. However this is just a guess. All we’ve seen is a 1 minute cut scene.
@Athrum how can you know? We’ve seen nothing other than a 1 minute cut scene. If we get gameplay footage soon then i’ll be more confident Microsoft are correct.
@sjbsixpack Because I have a small grasp on how game making works. And sorry if that sounds rude, not trying to be. That game was waaaaaay in concept stage when it was shown to us. Even with Insomniac having 2 teams, the majority of their dev team will be working on Spider-man 2. Plus you won't see 2 Marvel games from the same studio come out close to each other, even if they're different styles.
My guess would be SM2 on the later half of 2023, and this one on late 2024.
@tallythwack
Because Microsoft is trying to argue that Sony has alot to offer and therefore Microsoft buying Activision is not at all another attempt of theirs at a monopoly. Even though it very much is.
I find it hard to believe that both Wolverine and Spider-Man 2 will be releasing in 2023.
Still stand firmly that Wolverine will be dropping in 2024 or 2025, we'll just have to wait and see.
@Bamila Wolverine was revealed in September 2021
Source: https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/09/marvels_wolverine_spider-man_2_are_ps5_exclusives
Microsoft's energies could be better spent developing their own in-house IP.
@LightningLeader
This is true. I'm not one for subscription gaming myself. I either buy digitally on PC or physical on my PS consoles.
It's funny that Sony haven't come out to counter the statement.
There is no way Xbox would know this. They are spit balling and quite off target.
Sony are just arguing to stall the process nothing more, they no full well they cannot really stop this deal.
Microsoft on the otherhand are coming off as childish as they did actually make all of this public in the first place, like everyone here is saying they are just throwing out Sony exclusives like they are jealous as they can't do the same.
This makes Microsoft look pretty useless as each exclusive for Sony are all in different genres aswel.
The fact remains Phil Spencer is all mouth and no action. All they seem to be doing is buying up already established developers and they passing them off as their own. With 0 creative fresh new ips coming from any of Microsoft in house teams.
We always get the same old Halo, Gears, Forza. With the few exceptions. And due to this lack of creativity they just go out and buy game developers who have been making games for 10years plus and make them exclusive, I.e Bethesda and Co.
Honestly I've seen Playstations fresh new ips come and go, while waiting for news on which team will take over Halo and Gears.
@captainaverage yeah I use to have the 128k one with the built in tape player, the rubber key 48k was always a favourite ,my friend use to have a c64, forbidden forest was fantastic loved that game,we use to play two player archon and his mum made us salmon paste sandwiches ..good times ha ha
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