Wolverine’s Opening Weekend Has Met Expectations, but It Falls Short of Spider-Man’s Record

Marvel’s Wolverine has sold well, early data suggests, but don’t expect Spider-Man numbers.

Rhys Elliott, head of market analysis at Alinea Analytics, posted on social media that the game has shifted an estimated 1.9 million copies since going on sale on September 15. The revenue now sits at around $130 million, with 22.9% of that coming from physical sales — a detail worth noting, since Sony plans to cease production of PlayStation discs from 2028.

The Numbers So Far

Elliott’s numbers show Wolverine trailing Spider-Man 2 in day-one sales. More than 2.5 million copies of that title moved in just 24 hours when it went live on October 23, 2025. It topped the PlayStation day-one launch chart, outpacing God of War Ragnarok.

Wolverine has already surpassed the lifetime PS5 copies sold and revenue numbers of Death Stranding 2, a milestone that made headlines after Sony dropped Hideo Kojima’s Physint project. According to Elliott, Marvel’. Currently, it sits as the top-performing new PlayStation Studios game released on PS5 this year, outpacing MLB The Show, Bungie’s Marathon, Housemarque”s Saros, and fighting game Marvel Tōkon.

The Review Gap

Marvel’s Wolverine carries a 77 Metascore. IGN’s review returned a 6/10.

The review had mixed things to say about the fighting: it was called “slick and satisfying”, though it also pointed out that it “wears thin well before its conclusion, so much so that even its strong character work can’t quite save it from being anything more than okay.”.

The Commercial Outlook

The game’s commercial long tail is restricted, Elliott argued, because of how mixed its media and streamer reception has been. He drew a direct comparison to Spider-Man 2, which reviewed “insanely well” and has remained evergreen for years.

“Wolverine will keep selling, just not at Spider-Man heights,” Elliott added. “Spidey’s been evergreen. Wolverine will be more ever-yellow.”

The comparison matters because the two games launched under very different circumstances. Spider-Man 2 benefited from a near-perfect critical score and years of goodwill built by its predecessor. Marvel’s Wolverine, by contrast, carries a 77 Metascore and an IGN review that returned a 6/10.

What Comes Next

Reasons exist to believe the tail will endure on its own. This December marks the start of the MCU’s next phase, with Avengers: Doomsday hitting screens and bringing the X-Men into the fold — even if it isn’t yet clear whether Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine will make an appearance. The PS5’s user base stands to grow substantially when GTA 6 arrives in November, and that expansion could wind up helping sales for Wolverine. The game should also prove a natural fit for holiday gift-giving, likely finding its way onto many Christmas trees.

Insomniac has already signaled it is listening. Earlier this week, the studio said it was planning to “further refine the player experience” based on feedback. One area it may look at is the game’s infamous “fart gas,” which has become the butt of online jokes in recent weeks. Some players have called for Insomniac to add the ability to disable Logan’s scent trail entirely amid complaints about handholding.

A separate test is being run on the motorcycle sequence to determine whether Logan can die when a player fails to hold down the controller. One tester succeeded in pushing Logan beyond the edge, which exposed fresh parts of the game.

The game’s commercial fate is tied to its reputation. Alinea’s figures suggest the game is already performing better than most new releases on PS5. Whether it can match Spider-Man’s staying power is another question entirely.

Right now, what Elliott has said is simple: Wolverine sales won’t stop, but they won’t reach Spidey levels either.

Source material: “Marvel's Wolverine Has 'Sold Well,' Early Data Suggests, but Don't Expect Spider-Man Numbers,” IGN.

game sales · Insomniac · PS5 · Spider-Man 2 · Wolverine