With Marvel’s Wolverine just days from launch, a new controversy over Insomniac’s game has broken out online, prompting one of the developers to provide clarification. Despite being positioned as one of Sony’s big first party releases for the end of 2026, things haven’t gone smoothly for Marvel’s Wolverine as the game has been dragging into another controversy prior to launch.
Although there has been plenty of excitement for Insomniac’s next big Marvel game, there has been some criticism from fans online regarding some character designs and gameplay tropes being used. Some of that has come to a head in the past few days following reviews for Marvel’s Wolverine appearing online, with the game currently sitting at a much lower metacritic score than many assumed. Reviews have been fairly mixed, with many praising the visceral combat and highlighting a number of shortcomings. However, debate has swirled online over how much Marvel’s Wolverine holds the player’s hand and whether it can be adjusted.
Marvel’s Wolverine “Scent Trail” Controversy
One of the big talking points of many reviewers seems to revolve around Logan’s ability to track enemies and items, which many have felt is too aggressive and essentially acts more as a hand-holding tool for the player. Debate over the controversial feature has broken out online, with some looking for a way to turn it off, convinced that it is an accessibility option that can be toggled. The idea makes sense as Insomniac is known for extensive accessibility options in their games.
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As many now call for Insomniac to allow the scent trail to be officially toggled off, Insomniac’s director of community and marketing, James Stevenson, jumped into the conversation to clarify that this request really isn’t possible. As Stevenson explains, the scent trail “represents Logan’s canon mutant super senses and elite tracking ability. It only is there when he’s tracking a specific scent / sound (a person, whisky, or another clue scent) – story/mission moments or when he catches whiff of a collectible.” As part of that, the trail isn’t always on, therefore it can’t be completely turned on or off.
Some questioned Stevenson’s explanation and the value of such a feature, especially when it comes to unlocking Marvel’s Wolverine suits and hidden collectibles, with the game potentially being able to lead players right to them. Stevenson explained that Wolverine isn’t always tracking things as players will have to get close enough to pick up the scent first, so there is a bit of exploration needed. However, the game does have adaptations that can be equipped to increase the radius that a scent can be picked up if players want that option.
Unfortunately for Insomniac, this isn’t the first wave of negativity that has engulfed the game online. A preview event revealed a boss fight against a large Sentinel, though some fans took to mocking the fight by comparing it to a 2007 Ben 10 game. Stevenson previously admitted that the relentless onslaught of negativity around Marvel’s Wolverine pushed him to reconsider his stance on having other developers post to social media. This latest controversy likely won’t help change things for the better.
- Released
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September 15, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment