If Marvel's Blade is Years Off, It Should Keep Tabs on…

Summary

Marvel's Blade adds to Marvel Comics' renaissance in gaming, and Arkane is poised to go in a dark, exciting direction with the title.
A potential 2027 release date for Marvel's Blade is rumored, and with Insomniac's Wolverine likely coming much sooner, it could serve as a possible inspiration for gameplay mechanics.
Both games are likely to provide a brutal, violent gameplay experience, and Arkane can take note of what does and does not work in Insomniac's Wolverine game.

Marvel's Blade was announced at the end of 2023 at The Game Awards, adding another project to the long list of iconic Marvel Comics characters getting new game adaptations. There has been a Marvel Comics renaissance in gaming, and Marvel's Blade looks to be an exciting dark direction from developer Arkane.

At the moment, there isn't a lot of information known about Marvel's Blade, but the titular vampire slayer will find himself in Paris, France. Speculation about Marvel's Blade has been spreading since the game's announcement, but it seems like the project may be further away from release than many have hoped for. As the wait continues, Marvel's Wolverine by Insomniac could be the perfect game to take note of while Arkane works on bringing Marvel's beloved vampire hunter to life.

marvel's wolverine teaser claws unsheathed

Wolverine Game Associate Narrative Director Has Left Insomniac

A senior narrative lead for the upcoming Marvel's Wolverine game announces her departure from Insomniac Games.

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By Viraaj Bhatnagar

Arkane Looking to Insomniac's Wolverine Game For Inspiration

Marvel Comics is filled with a diverse roster of characters, but some of the most compelling are found in its antiheroes. This is what makes Blade and Wolverine so fascinating, because their stories are filled with moral gray areas instead of the straightforward quest for righteousness that many superheroes strive for. Marvel games are quickly taking over in the action genre, and it will be fascinating to see how these characters will be adapted in a new light.

Soon after it was announced, rumors began circulating that Marvel's Blade may not be released until 2027. This has yet to be confirmed, but if this is the case, Insomniac's Wolverine title will prove whether its approach to a lone wolf character works or not, since it's expected to arrive in 2025 or 2026. Depending on how the reception to Marvel's Wolverine goes, Arkane could use the response to Insomniac's work as a blueprint on what needs to be fixed and what works well with Marvel's Blade.

Both characters are brutal and don't mind getting violent. Insomniac did a great job of showcasing Spider-Man's focus on protecting New York City without being overly brutal, but Wolverine's iconic Adamantium claws make his method of combat far more bloody and deadly. This will be a big change to Insomniac's approach to combat, and Blade's fighting mechanics will be in a similar boat. Wolverine and Blade mostly focus on their weapons of choice, the former being claws and the latter being a sword, which leaves Insomniac and Arkane with the task of keeping combat from feeling repetitive. Once Marvel's Wolverine releases, Arkane can have a much better understanding of what works combat-wise without the use of many gadgets, like Marvel's Spider-Man.

Marvel's Blade and Wolverine Could Shake Things Up

Foregoing Spider-Man's Formula

Insomniac really brought its Spider-Man series to life with its adaptation of Peter Parker and Miles Morales, but the same mechanics won't work for characters like Wolverine and Blade. Marvel characters with limited arsenals could actually present themselves as a fantastic change of pace if pulled off correctly. Although the excitement for both games is palpable, Marvel's Wolverine will essentially be a test run for more simplified mechanics, unless Insomniac makes a drastic change to Wolverine's fighting style.

Despite there only being a teaser trailer revealed, Marvel's Blade has the chance to be one of the more unique entries in the upcoming Marvel games. From EA's Ironman to Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, studios are clearly thinking outside the box with their Marvel adaptations, and that's intriguing. However, the character of Blade still has the benefit of being a truly standout name in Marvel canon, and Marvel's Wolverine will hopefully pave the way for Arkane to turn Marvel's Blade into a success.

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