The reveal of Marvel’s Wolverine has generated significant buzz, with Digital Foundry offering an in-depth breakdown of the game’s technical presentation during a recent podcast. Shown running on PlayStation 5 Pro, the footage labeled as a “gameplay trailer” sparked both praise for its technical execution and debate over how publishers market such showcases.
Digital Foundry’s Alex voiced concern about the evolving meaning of “gameplay” in modern trailers. He argued that many trailers mix cinematic sequences with brief interactive moments, creating ambiguity for audiences. “I feel like the phrase gameplay has been um as a description for a trailer has been kind of drawn out in its meaning… if you show a bunch of cinematic stuff that is definitely not player controlled and you have like 10% of a trailer or something like that that actually has uninterrupted camera movement that’s brought about by the player,” Alex said, noting how little of the footage often reflects true player-driven action.
Despite that critique, the team was impressed by what Insomniac showcased. Oliver highlighted Wolverine’s detailed character model, praising the advanced skin shaders that appear more lifelike than some character models seen in Spider-Man 2. He also pointed out the game’s mature tone, with combat sequences featuring visible blood, gore, and bone fragments—marking a departure from Insomniac’s more family-friendly projects.
From a technical perspective, the trailer appeared to run at 30 frames per second in a quality mode on PS5 Pro. Oliver observed ray-traced reflections in action, citing a moment where Wolverine’s reflection remained consistent in a puddle despite his movement. This aligns with Insomniac’s established use of RT technology in their previous PS5 titles.
Alex provided further analysis, noting that the internal resolution of the footage could be measured in several shots. Gameplay sequences seemed to run around 1440p, while cutscenes reached 1512p to 1600p. He suggested the game may currently be using PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), though not the more advanced FSR4-based iteration expected to roll out in the future. The newer version is anticipated to deliver improved motion clarity and reduced aliasing.
Looking ahead, the team expressed optimism that the final release will include 60fps performance modes and may incorporate updated PSSR technology, given the late 2026 launch window. Richard added that it was refreshing to see a high-budget title not running on Unreal Engine 5, instead highlighting how Insomniac’s in-house technology and evolving art style complement the darker, more mature direction of the game.
Marvel’s Wolverine is scheduled to release exclusively on PlayStation 5 in late 2026, with development led by Insomniac Games.
