Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Wolverine may not have been a critical darling, but the superhero adventure is proving to be a commercial force. According to analytics firm Circana and its Player Engagement Tracker, the title has broken a live-service stranglehold on the PlayStation charts, landing at seventh place on Circana’s Top 10 Titles by weekly active users in the United States for the week ending September 19. The ranking, which places the game between Marvel Rivals in sixth and Minecraft in eighth, marks a notable achievement for a game that stands as the only single-player entry in the top 10.
“The average US Marvel’s Wolverine player engaged with the title for 14.2 hours during the week,” Circana’s Mat Piscatella wrote, noting that the figure “ranked in the top 20 across all titles on PlayStation for the week.” While heavy hitters NBA 2K27, Fortnite, and Roblox continued to occupy the upper rungs of the chart, seventh place remains an impressive feat for a game that is largely a one-and-done experience.
A Different Kind of PlayStation Hit
Unlike its open-world predecessor Marvel’s Spider-Man and its bustling slice of Manhattan, Wolverine offers little reason to return beyond a New Game Plus mode that unlocks new skills. The experience can easily be completed within a week, which complicates the traditional live-service engagement model that has come to dominate the PlayStation charts. That distinction is precisely what makes the game’s chart performance noteworthy: it has outperformed the genre’s recurring retention mechanics on sheer strength of its core appeal.
The game has also been the subject of criticism, prompting hotfixes in which Insomniac toned down the infamous scent trails used to guide players toward collectibles. Sony has not yet commented on the game’s overall sales performance, but it is estimated that Marvel’s Wolverine has sold through 1.9 million units as of September 18.
Understanding the Commercial Picture
Analysts suggest that while the game has sold well, its long-term revenue potential may be constrained by a mixed reception among critics and streamers. “Wolverine has sold well, but its commercial long tail is limited by its mixed media and streamer reception,” Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliott wrote recently. He contrasted the title with Spider-Man, which reviewed exceptionally well and has remained evergreen for years, predicting that Wolverine’s tail “will be shorter and lumpier, but still there.”
“Wolverine will have secondary volume bumps driven by MCU X-Men marketing beats, holiday gifting, and new PS5 owners looking for high-budget graphics showcases. The backlash was fast and hard, but that discourse will sail clean over the heads of the millions of more passive, mainstream players who make up the bulk of this audience. Those folks will buy Wolverine for the brand, get it for Christmas, and never once open Reddit to find out they were supposed to be angry.”
Rhys Elliott, Alinea Analytics
Elliott’s assessment underscores a broader point about the modern gaming market: the loudest online discourse rarely represents the mainstream audience that drives sales. For a franchise as globally recognized as Marvel, the brand alone carries significant weight with casual players who may never engage with the critical conversation surrounding a title.
Looking Ahead
Marvel’s Wolverine launched on September 15, and sales appeared strong right out of the gate, with the game reportedly exceeding the lifetime sales of Death Stranding 2 on PS5 in just a few days. GameSpot’s review scored the game an 8 out of 10, with editor-at-large Tamoor Hussain describing it as a “fun but forgettable” experience—a fitting summary of the mixed reception that has defined its run.
As the title heads into the holiday season, all eyes will be on whether the MCU X-Men marketing cycle and seasonal gifting can extend its commercial lifespan. For now, Marvel’s Wolverine has demonstrated that a well-crafted single-player experience can still carve out a commanding presence on the PlayStation charts, even amid a field dominated by live-service giants.
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