Marvel's Wolverine ESRB Rating Promises 'a Handful of Sequences' Featuring 'Exposed Buttocks'
Marvel's Wolverine will have gore, intense violence, strong language, and at least a few scenes featuring "a character's exposed buttocks," according to its Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating.
The full description for Insomniac Games' M-rated superhero experience warned would-be players that "partial nudity" is one of the many elements they'll need to consider before picking up a copy this September (via MP1st). However, a more specific explanation toward the end of the page suggested the only example of this in the game might be one or two instances of on-screen butts.
The warning reads as follows: "A handful of sequences briefly depict a character's exposed buttocks."
The context and character butt in question remains to be seen, but fans may want to prepare for Logan's rear end to be front and center in his own video game. For some reason, this isn't quite uncharted territory for Wolverine.
Disney+ left Hugh Jackman's butt uncensored when X-Men: Days of Future Past came to the streaming service back in 2020. Deadpool & Wolverine then put the focus on Jackman's behind when it came out in 2024 and allegedly nearly doubled down on it by referring to his butt as "Canada's Ass" in one deleted scene.
It's also a shame Marvel's Wolverine will be PlayStation 5 exclusive when it launches next month, as some might remember a few lucky Xbox fans got some…unique controllers a few years back. The Xbox-exclusive "designed by Deadpool" controllers both came suited up in Deadpool & Wolverine's red and yellow superhero suit attire. They also happened to be extremely caked up.
The full ESRB description for Marvel's Wolverine can be found here: "Marvel's Wolverine is rated M for Mature 17+ by the ESRB with Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, and Strong Language. Also includes In-Game Purchases. This is an action game in which players assume the role of James Logan/Wolverine, as he reunites with Team X to stop a dangerous threat. From a third-person perspective, players use melee attacks and special skills to kill enemy soldiers and robots in frenetic combat. Players use their claws to slash, stab, and slice enemies; rage modes allow players to enact faster, more destructive combos and slow-motion finishers (e.g., dramatically stabbing an enemy in the head). Combat is highlighted by frequent blood-splatter effects, screams of pain, and dismemberment/decapitation. Battlefields are sometimes strewn with torsos and limbs; cutscenes can also depict blood and gore (e.g., characters tearing enemies apart, decapitating enemy soldiers). A handful of sequences briefly depict a character's exposed buttocks. The dialogue references drugs (e.g., “It doubled my production of fentanyl.”). The words “f**k” and “sh*t” appear in the game."
We didn't really need the full ESRB description to tell us that Marvel's Wolverine will veer in a new direction for the Marvel's Spider-Man game developers at Insomniac. Pre-release footage for the game has so far promised an especially gory take on the classic comic book X-Men member, with gameplay clips showing that players will be able to rip apart any goon that gets in their way.
Marvel's Wolverine has a September 15, 2026, release date for PS5. For more, you can read IGN's interview with Insomniac from June. You can also check out everything revealed in the game's "Ain't No Hero" trailer and why some fans filled up its comment sections.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).