An early version of Marvel’s Wolverine reportedly included Nightcrawler before Insomniac Games dropped the blue-skinned mutant from the version that is now nearing release. The fan-favorite character is supposedly far from the only part of the original draft for Marvel’s Wolverine that was cut during development.
In December 2023, Insomniac suffered a major data breach that exposed information about various PlayStation projects. Among other things, the cyberattack resulted in one part of the Marvel’s Wolverine cast leaking online alongside an early build of the game.
Nightcrawler Was Reportedly Planned for Marvel’s Wolverine
Marvel Is Said To Have Shot Down the Idea
The Insomniac leak pointed to an early version of Marvel’s Wolverine featuring Nightcrawler, also known as Kurt Wagner, as one of Logan’s allies during the Madripoor section of the game. Marvel reportedly objected to limiting such a prominent character in X-Men lore to a supporting role in a single area, prompting Insomniac to replace him with Jubilee. That alternative was ultimately abandoned as well, with the leaks suggesting that Tyger Tiger will now serve as one of the central characters in the game’s Madripoor section.
Logan Reportedly Had a Miniature Crossbow at One Point
Marvel Supposedly Objected to That One As Well
The leaks also point to Insomniac having experimented with a miniature crossbow tool during development. Logan would have been able to use different projectile types, while crafting and upgrades for the weapon were reportedly handled from the game’s hub areas. Marvel ultimately objected to the concept on the grounds that it did not fit Wolverine, prompting Insomniac to abandon it, according to previously leaked documents.
An even more fundamental idea would have changed how Wolverine’s claws were controlled. Insomniac reportedly spent roughly two years experimenting with separate left- and right-claw attacks mapped to the DualSense triggers, with a half-press producing a quick jab and a full press triggering a slower sweeping strike. Although the system reportedly performed reasonably well in early testing, it was eventually abandoned over concerns about accessibility, responsiveness, and scope. The finished game still supports adaptive trigger effects, but they no longer form the basis of Logan’s attacks. Based on how accessibility settings work in other modern Insomniac games, players will likely be able to disable all adaptive trigger functionality in Marvel’s Wolverine.
Marvel’s Wolverine Has Changed Significantly Since Its Leaked Builds
The game’s overall structure appears to have been streamlined as well. Earlier Marvel’s Wolverine leaks showed traversal across larger environments and pointed to semi-open-zone concepts, whereas Insomniac now describes the finished game as a largely linear, globe-trotting single-player adventure. Some ideas were also cut and later revived. For instance, a proto-Sentinel boss battle was reportedly dropped in late 2022, but footage from the current version suggests the encounter eventually found its way back into the game. How well will the final result work in practice should become clear by September 15, when Marvel’s Wolverine releases exclusively for the PlayStation 5. Its review embargo will most likely lift a few days earlier, as is typically the case with Sony’s AAA titles.
- 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
Source: uniquecartridge / Reddit
