Players allege Marvel’s Wolverine Middle East edits cut Mystique “wife” references
Fans are alleging that references to Mystique’s wife in the new ‘Wolverine’ game have been censored in some locations. (Sony Interactive Entertainment/Marvel)
Players are alleging that some Middle East versions of Marvel’s Wolverine have been edited to remove references to Mystique’s marriage to Tyger, with screenshots and a Reddit video alleging that scenes have been censored circulating online.
In the clip shared on r/PlayWolverine, a user claimed: “In my version of the game scenes mentioning Mystique and Tyger censor or cut out anything mentioning their relationship, thought it was a glitch at first but as I played through I realised it wasn’t.”
Fans say the video appears to show dialogue referencing Mystique’s “wife” being removed while the scene’s background audio continues, making it look like an intentional cut rather than a technical issue.
On X, screenshots have also been shared that appear to show specific elements altered. One post showing an alleged censored wedding image includes a message reading: “Why did you censor Mystique’s lesbian relationship in Lebanon.” Another post showing an alleged censored letter appears to show an in-game letter with references to Mystique and Tyger’s relationship obscured.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in a number of countries in the Middle East, and potentially punishable by death.
What players say was changed
The claims spread on 21 September, with players sharing images and video they say show regional edits targeting Mystique and Tyger’s relationship.
The Reddit clip has drawn particular attention because it appears to show the scene continuing normally apart from the missing word, with audio and timing otherwise intact.
Why the alleged edits matter
Marvel’s Wolverine is a major PlayStation console title developed by Insomniac Games, the studio behind Marvel’s Spider-Man.
Mystique is a long-running Marvel character (Raven Darkhölme), depicted across comics, animation and live-action films. Insomniac’s Marvel games have previously included LGBTQ+ representation, including Pride imagery and queer characters, and fans recently speculated about Wolverine’s sexuality after narrative director Walt Williams used the word “yearning” to describe a central relationship in the story.
If accurate, it would not be the first time LGBTQ+ content in an Insomniac or Sony release has been edited for some regional markets. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 previously had Pride flags removed in multiple parts of the Middle East, and a mission featuring a young gay couple was changed and references to their relationship were removed.
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