Insomniac Games has confirmed that its upcoming title, Marvel's Wolverine, will feature 60 frames per second gameplay with ray tracing enabled as the default performance mode on the base PlayStation 5 console. This marks a significant milestone for the studio, being the first time they have built a game around this performance target from the outset.
"From early on in development, we knew we wanted to make this 60 FPS, working on the base PS5 in performance mode," stated Jess Reiner-Reed, senior project director at Insomniac. "And we've definitely been able to accomplish that. The game feels super smooth."
Mike Fitzgerald, head of technology at Insomniac, elaborated on the decision, explaining that while the team traditionally implements fidelity and performance modes, the ambition for Marvel's Wolverine was to integrate ray tracing into the core performance experience. "For this game from the start, we said, ‘You know what? We know we're confident we can ship this now. This is going to be a 60 frames per second game with ray tracing as the PS5 should have. We're going to build the game around this and towards this.' And it's the default mode for the first time for us in one of our games. It’s important for the presentation."
The commitment to 60 FPS with ray tracing as the default is expected to be well-received by players, particularly given the combat-intensive nature of Marvel's Wolverine. This level of responsiveness is anticipated to enhance the player experience when executing combos and engaging with enemies.
Beyond performance, Insomniac has also invested heavily in environmental technology for Marvel's Wolverine, presenting different challenges compared to their previous Spider-Man titles. While the Spider-Man games focused on urban environments, Marvel's Wolverine explores settings like the Canadian wilderness and the city of Madripoor. The development team has implemented advanced technology to render detailed foliage that reacts to wind, characters, and environmental changes.
Additionally, the destructive capabilities of the character, Wolverine, are reflected in the game's environment. Most props within the game are designed to be destructible and react in physically accurate ways, ensuring that battle aftermaths feel impactful. "So market stalls and tables and everything around you is splintering and flying off as you're doing combat," Fitzgerald noted.
Marvel's Wolverine is slated for release in September.