When Marvel's Wolverine was first announced last year, it was done so without a release date attached. There wasn't even a launch window. Aside from a vague but impressive cinematic teaser and some top-level details, there really wasn't much to go on at all.
The lack of concrete information along with the fact that Insomniac Games is also working on Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which has a 2023 release window, has led many to believe Marvel's Wolverine is at least multiple years off. While that's almost certainly the case, Microsoft claims otherwise.
As spotted by Tech4Gamers, a recent filing from Microsoft in relation to UK's Competition and Markets Authority's Activision Blizzard acquisition claims that Marvel's Wolverine will launch in 2023. In the document, Microsoft addresses Sony's market position and calls out its "large portfolio of high-quality exclusive content." Microsoft lists multiple PlayStation exclusives including The Last of Us, God of War, the Uncharted series and more. Then the company turns to PlayStation's "spate of first- and third-party exclusive titles lined up for launch in 2023, including Spider-Man 2, Wolverine, Horizon, Final Fantasy XVI and Forspoken."
As mentioned, Sony hasn't officially announced a release date for Marvel's Wolverine so it's unclear if Microsoft has inside knowledge, just assuming the release date, or trying to actively bolster the appearance of Sony's market position in the industry in an effort to downplay what acquiring the Call of Duty franchise would do for Xbox. In any case, Microsoft's reference to Marvel's Wolverine is definitely a weird one to include.
Insomniac actually revealed two Marvel action-adventure games last year. The developed assured fans this week that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will be out in 2023, but hasn't really commented on Marvel's Wolverine.
Marvel's Wolverine is being directed by Brian Horton (creative director) and Cameron Christian (game director), who led the creative efforts on Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the second installment in Insomniac's Spider-Man series. In briefly talking about the goal of the game, Ryan Schneider, Head of Franchise Strategy & Studio Relations at Insomniac Games, had this to say:
In the vein of our Spider-Man games, our goal here is to not only respect the DNA of what makes the character so popular, but also look for opportunities to make it feel fresh and truly reflect the Insomniac spirit. Even though Marvel’s Wolverine is very early in development, from what I’ve seen of its emotional narrative and cutting-edge gameplay (see what I did there?), the team is already creating something truly special.
The teaser certainly set a fantastic tone for the game, but fans almost certainly want to see more. If Marvel's Wolverine is coming next year, as Microsoft claims, then hopefully we see something soon. But as I said, I wouldn't bet on it.