Extended gameplay for Marvel’s Wolverine showed how players will fight as the six-clawed mutant, but other story details were revealed as well. Following the Sony State of Play in June 2026, developer Insomniac Games shared more insight into the world Wolverine finds himself in, including the status of the iconic X-Men. Although Marvel’s Wolverine is focused primarily on the adamantium-infused character through a solo story, connections with other figures from across X-Men lore might not be presented in a way players expect.
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Already, diehard fans of X-Men mythos can spot some characters present from throughout Marvel’s Wolverine‘s trailers. The first gameplay reveal showed off Omega Red and Mystique as potential friends or foes to Logan throughout his journey. At the same time, the extended trailer from the State of Play revealed Sabretooth and Jean Grey, two characters who may have very different relationships with Wolverine when players encounter them.
Marvel’s Wolverine Does Not Have A World With The X-Men, Despite Having Many Mutants
Insomniac has made clear that Marvel’s Wolverine does not have the X-Men in any way, even in a historic capacity like some fans were expecting. The X-Men simply haven’t existed in Insomnaic’s version of the Marvel universe, with mutants themselves being a relatively new phenomenon as well. According to creators, mutants of all kinds are feared and hunted down often, with no one like Charles Xavier to change public perception through a team that helps humanity.
Having zero presence of the X-Men is a bold choice for Marvel’s Wolverine, especially considering which characters are already in the game. Although Wolverine has multiple comic story lines with him away from the X-Men, that group has always been a core connection to his character. This is even more true for figures like Jean Grey, who is often a founding member of the X-Men alongside Cyclops, Beast, Storm, and many others. Story details claim that mutants are largely unknown by the general population, even if other heroes like Spider-Man are recognized.
No trace of the X-Men sets up a world with a far different history than most Marvel stories, and for a character whose lived as long as Wolverine, this calls into question how authentic Insomniac’s version of Logan truly is. With the dangerous Reavers rounding up mutants and acting as Wolverine’s main enemies in Marvel’s Wolverine, not having the support of the X-Men does raise the stakes. That being said, this choice is already proving divisive among Marvel fans who wished to see some call backs or references to the X-Men in this game.
Focus On A World Where Mutants Aren’t Well Known Enables Other Team-Ups
Without the X-Men, the way that Wolverine teams-up with other mutants is vastly different from what players may have imagined. For example, Wolverine can call upon characters like Jean Grey to deal critical strikes to certain enemies, setting up a brutal takedown that eliminates a tough foe. Other mutant characters will sometimes being fighting with Logan, with Jean Grey lifting enemies through the air through telekenesis. Depending on their personality, Wolverine’s “help” could look very different, with developers teasing that antagonistic team-ups with someone like Sabretooth might lead to Logan getting his kills stolen.
Part of the PlayStation Blog for Marvel’s Wolverine states that the only mutants capable of protecting those hunted by the Reavers is a group called Team X. This light interpretation of the X-Men might set up the comic accurate group through the game’s story, but for now, they act as a last-stand mutant task force facing its darkest hour. Apparently, Team X was an organization Wolverine was a part of three years prior to the events of Marvel’s Wolverine, but they have somewhat splintered to fight their battles alone.
Other Characters May Appear As The Story Continues To Reference Other X-Men Characters
Team X could be a group Wolverine left due to a disagreement or conflict, and other characters from this organization are sure to bring up why in the game’s cutscenes. We still don’t know the full scope of Marvel’s Wolverine‘s story, so other mutant characters could provide greater context to how mutants are represented in Insomniac’s world. Simply including figures like Magneto might reveal a mutant supremacy movement, while showing off someone like Akihiro (aka Daken) may suggest Wolverine has a son in this universe.
Even if the X-Men don’t exist in this game, any character associated with that side of Marvel Comics will still have an impact on Wolverine’s life. Despite shifts in Marvel’s lore, characters like Jean Grey and Mystique already are shown to be potential allies or connections Logan has in the story. Whether they are meeting each other for the first time or have a shared history through Team X, it’s inevitable that X-Men character cameos will serve some role in advancing Wolverine’s journey.
Even smaller cameos like Leech in the extended gameplay trailer shows that Insomniac is not using the lack of X-Men team to exclude X-Men characters from the game. The only problem with no X-Men is how some characters will be depicted, as they will likely be very different from their traditional versions within Insomniac’s world. As Marvel’s Wolverine continues to share story details, fans are left wondering what other big changes will be made to Marvel lore, and what risks Insomniac are willing to take.
What do you think about there being no X-Men in Marvel’s Wolverine? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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