Highlights
- 2023 has seen many devastating leaks, including those for Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 6, but none have arguably hit a developer as hard as Insomniac Games.
- Insomniac's leaked slate reveals an exciting lineup of Marvel games, including Venom, Spider-Man 3, and X-Men.
- Unfortunately, fans of Insomniac's original properties will have to wait until 2029 for a new Ratchet and Clank game and 2031 for a new IP, with dormant franchises like Sunset Overdrive and Resistance not set to get anything.
Though 2023 has been a year full of devastating leaks, including high profile data breaches like what occurred for Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 6, none have arguably seen a single developer hit so hard as the recent Insomniac Games leak. Unfortunately for the studio, a ransomware attack saw the developer’s plans for the next decade spread across the internet for all to see. While plenty of gameplay, concept art, plot details, and the cast for Marvel’s Wolverine has been heavily discussed, the other area fans are focusing on is Insomniac’s slate of upcoming projects. Unfortunately, the studio’s plans do not look ideal for its longtime fans.
To be clear, a large portion of the internet is thrilled with the direction Insomniac Games is going in, as it is using its critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man series as a springboard to flesh out its own Marvel universe. Games based on an iconic Spider-Man anti-hero and Mutants beyond Logan are appealing to anyone who loves comic books, but for those who prefer the company’s original IP, the next decade is looking quite light on content for them to enjoy.
Wolverine's Leaked Gameplay Should Take Inspiration from Another PlayStation Game
From the leaked gameplay of Insomniac's upcoming Wolverine game, it's clear one combat aspect needs to draw inspiration from a past PlayStation title.
Breaking Down Insomniac’s Leaked Video Game Slate
Insomniac’s Leaked Slate is All About Marvel Games
In addition to a massive amount of information on Marvel’s Wolverine, players were given a look at Insomniac's upcoming releases, which is as follows.
- Venom (2025)
- Wolverine (2026)
- Spider-Man 3 (2028)
- Ratchet and Clank (2029)
- X-Men (2030)
- New IP (2031-2032)
Assets for a multiplayer-focused title called Spider-Man: The Great Web were also leaked online, but the game’s absence from Insomniac’s release plan suggests that it could have been scrapped at some point during its development. Alternatively, it may have been reworked into the multiplayer mode that is seemingly being planned for Marvel's Spider-Man 3 .
For Marvel fans, it is difficult to think of a better video game lineup for the developer. A Venom game could give the studio the opportunity to make use of Tony Todd’s unused dialogue, as only 10% of the lines recorded by the horror icon made it into Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Additionally, a third Marvel’s Spider-Man game is a no-brainer given how the most recent game ended, and a planned 2028 release for the title shows that Insomniac will be hard at work on the game after its smaller Venom spin-off and Marvel's Wolverine. Speaking of Wolverine, it is likely that his story will be continued in the X-Men game set to release at the start of the next decade, a project that has come as a pleasant surprise for Marvel fans. With X-Men games exclusive to PlayStation until 2035, more Mutant-focused titles are likely to release soon after the original, so it seems like Marvel will be Insomniac's main focus for a long time.
Fans of Insomniac’s Original Properties Have Much Less To Look Forward To
As indicated by the leaked lineup listed above, the next time that fans will be seeing one of Insomniac’s original properties is in 2029, as Ratchet and Clank is set to make a comeback over five years from the time of writing. Considering how well Insomniac’s Spidey games have sold in comparison to Ratchet and Clank, this is hardly a surprise, but it is still disappointing that those without an interest in Marvel content will have so little to look forward to from the developer over the next several years. Sadly, dormant franchises like Sunset Overdrive and Resistance seem to be truly lost forever, as they go unmentioned in the developer’s plans.
On the bright side, there is a new IP in the works from the studio. Though it is too early for Insomniac to pin down a precise release window for the project, it is slated to release in the early 2030s, with 2031 and 2032 listed as the potential launch years. What this game could be about is unclear, as Insomniac has experience with first-person shooters, open-world action games, and platformers. Still, it is far off, with four Marvel releases set to happen before it arrives, and more Marvel games like X-Men sequels or spin-offs expected to follow after the new IP releases.
Given how much great work Insomniac Games has done with the Marvel brand thus far, and how promising Marvel’s Wolverine seems to be, the developer focusing its efforts on more projects stemming from the comic book brand is going to be exciting for many fans. Still, for those who either dislike Marvel or miss Insomniac’s original ideas, this big leak is going to be a letdown. Not only are players going to be waiting five more years to see a payoff to Ratchet’s search for the Lombax dimension, but classic Insomniac properties that gamers were hoping to see make a surprise return are now off the table - at least for the foreseeable future.
