Insomniac Games has revealed a new look at Liam McIntyre as Marvel's Wolverines titular anti-hero, and the character's design has already received plenty of criticism from people on the internet. Marvel's Wolverine has been long anticipated, but Logan's resemblance to the actor who portrays him has rubbed some people the wrong way. Insomniac's design is still very similar to Logan, so it's surprising that there's been so much backlash, but it's simply another example of how hard it is to please everyone.
Over the years, there have been debates among some gamers about whether or not video game characters should resemble the voice actors who portray them. Ultimately, the decision is up to the developer. It's a creative choice that requires a lot of careful consideration before making a final decision, and Insomniac concluded that Liam McIntyre's real-life appearance was the right fit for Marvel's Wolverineis Logan. However, that hasn't stopped people from getting upset.
Insomniac Games Marvel's Wolverine character design ignites backlash online
A new look at the character was showcased at Comic Con, and the images have been making the rounds on social media. Of course, the response has not been entirely negative. But the negative comments have definitely been flowing ever since the new photos were released. This is not the first Marvel's Wolverine controversy. Anger over Sony's departure from physical discs has many gamers ready to boycott the game to send a message, but Logan's character design is the first major backlash directed at the game's actual content.
Some of the comments that have expressed displeasure with Wolverine's appearance say: “Insomniac's facial models always look weird” and “That ain't Wolverine.” I understand taste is subjective, but it's confusing to see someone claim he doesn't look like Wolverine when almost every bit of Marvel's Wolverine The films have featured a character who is filled with rage, has bushy sideburns and has claws that tear through his knuckles.
What's so frustrating about this is that if Insomniac Games went with a different design that didn't look like Liam McIntyre, there would also be people mad that the character doesn't look like the voice actor. It's a lose/lose situation for the developer. There's also the fact that Hugh Jackman as Wolverine has given many people a preconceived idea of what the character's face should look like. Jackman and McIntyre don't look alike, but they both still have physical characteristics that make for a strong Logan design. It's simply a fresh interpretation, and the main thing that matters at the end of the day is McIntyre's performance.
Modeling characters after the actors who portray them has become much more common in games in recent years. Some of the most notable games to use actors as face models are Death Stranding, Detroit: Become Human, The Dark Pictures Anthologyand Ghost of Yotei.
Making a quick judgment from a picture is easy. The game isn't even out yet, so there's no way to know if McIntyre's portrayal does the character justice. I choose to remain optimistic about his portrayal. What Insomniac has revealed Marvel's Wolverines gameplay looks wonderfully intense and bloody, confirmed cameos from characters like Jean Gray and Sabretooth are exciting, and expanding the developer's view of the Marvel universe is something worth celebrating.
It's okay not to like the way a character looks, but it doesn't really matter as Wolverine will be wearing his costume for at least half the game. Also, unless it's during a cutscene, players will see the back of the head, since the game is in third person. Expressing disdain for Wolverine's appearance on social media is unlikely to inspire a Sonic movie redesign moment when the game has taken years to develop and is only a couple of months away from release.
This isn't Insomniac's first Rodeo when it comes to character design
Insomniac has been in a similar situation before, but it's not because the characters looked like the voice actors who portrayed them. The developer made the controversial decision to change Peter Parker's appearance Marvel's Spider-Man when the PS5 port was released. Insomniac's reasoning was that the new face model was a better fit for voice actor Yuri Lowenthal's facial capture, but many fans who were fond of the original Peter Parker design were quite upset by the unexpected change.
Making a quick judgment from a picture is easy. The game isn't even out yet, so there's no way to know if McIntyre's portrayal does the character justice.
There's also the infamous MJ redesign which sparked plenty of its own backlash when Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was revealed. The Marvel's Spider-Man 2 The MJ design controversy ignited plenty of debate among fans, and it looks like Marvel's Wolverine won't be the game that puts an end to this particular Insomniac criticism. Despite the backlash from some players, both Marvel's Spider-Man and its sequels proved huge hits for Insomniac, and a third game is expected to be in the pipeline after Marvel's Wolverine makes its long-awaited debut.
Liam McIntyre is far from the only voice actor to have received backlash for being used as a game character's face model. When Naughty Dog first revealed Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophetthe trailer's comments had to be turned off on YouTube because there was such an intense flood of people angry that lead actor Tati Gabrielle was a bald woman. Naughty Dog also received backlash over The Last of Us 2Abby is so muscular.
A character's design will not always be met with positive feedback at first. Whether developers decide to make a character look like their voice actor or use a completely unique design, there will always be someone who is unhappy with the end result. There's nothing wrong with having an opinion, but passionate social media posts are more like shouting into a void instead of offering actual constructive criticism. Insomniac felt Liam McIntyre's likeness was the right move for Logan's design, and I'll let his performance speak for itself when I play the game.
- 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
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
