Marvel’s Wolverine community manager James Stevenson has spoken about the intense negativity surrounding Insomniac Games’ upcoming title, saying the volume of criticism being amplified on social media has made him reconsider how developers interact with the platform.
The comments came after gameplay footage from previews prompted criticism from some fans, with some comparing the game to PS2-era titles and describing it as a movie-focused game made primarily for journalists.
Stevenson said the way social media algorithms amplify negative posts has made him reconsider encouraging developers to read or post on the platform. “I think the wild way this algorithm amplifies and forces negativity upon you has me reconsidering my philosophy on telling devs to look or post here. It’s a relentless onslaught that I cannot believe is good for anyone’s mental health nor representative.”
After one user encouraged the team to continue posting for fans who enjoy their games, Stevenson suggested that developers might simply stop responding while continuing to use other platforms. “I dunno. Maybe just post and not respond anymore. Not how I want to operate but then you could still find us in better spaces.”
Stevenson later clarified that he was not personally affected by the comments, saying, “Honestly I’m not. I’m just blown away that it was throwing so much at me! More a comment on the algorithm than anything else.”
The game has also been compared with previous Insomniac releases, with one user asking Stevenson whether the level of negativity was similar during the launches of Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Stevenson responded by pointing to “Puddlegate,” the controversy surrounding visual differences between early promotional footage and Marvel’s Spider-Man’s eventual presentation.
Marvel’s Wolverine is scheduled to launch on September 15, 2026, for PlayStation 5. Developed by Insomniac Games, the game follows Logan in a standalone mature story spanning locations including the Canadian wilderness, Tokyo and Madripoor.
