Marvel's Wolverine Sales Show Strong Physical Demand in Europe
Marvel's Wolverine sold 2.16 million units in its first month, with 35% of global sales coming from physical discs.
Marvel's Wolverine sold 2.16 million units in its first month after launching on September 15. The Insomniac title was the second best-selling game on PlayStation 5 for the month, beaten only by EA Sports FC 27 which sold close to 5 million copies on the platform.
Physical vs digital sales split
Globally, 35% of Marvel's Wolverine's sales were physical copies, equating to roughly 756,000 boxed units. The preference for physical media was markedly stronger in specific European markets.
| Region | Physical Sales Share |
|---|---|
| Global | 35% |
| Europe | 51% |
| France | Over two-thirds |
| UK | One-third (Two-thirds digital) |
In Europe, more than half of all Wolverine purchases were for the disc version. France showed an even stronger inclination, with physical purchases representing more than two-thirds of total sales. The United Kingdom presented a contrasting picture, with two-thirds of sales coming from digital downloads.
Context in September sales landscape
While a major hit on PS5, Wolverine's sales were surpassed by other titles when factoring in PC and multi-platform performance. How to Fish and Wardogs both outperformed it in total sales across all platforms. Wardogs closed in on 3 million sales, a figure driven by viral social media clips of its combat sandbox. Only EA Sports FC 27 on PS5 outsold Wardogs in September.
Other PS5 titles had a slower start. Control: Resonant sold 305,000 units on the platform, while Silent Hill: Townfall sold 291,000. EA Sports FC 27 also moved 1.65 million copies on Xbox. The sales reflect the difference in install base between PS5 and Xbox consoles. Meanwhile, The Blood of Dawnwalker, the debut RPG from a team of former The Witcher developers at Rebel Wolves, fared much better with 1.8 million copies sold across all platforms at launch.
Industry shift and backlash
The strong physical performance for Wolverine arrives as Sony plans to gradually eliminate PlayStation disc production by 2028. This decision has sparked online backlash. Organizations dedicated to media preservation have petitioned for a reversal. The Video Game History Foundation has commented on the need for solutions to preserve digital-only content for archives and museums.
Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden has publicly questioned the move. He stated: I do think, particularly in the gaming realm, maybe 80% of the people download and 20% don't, whatever that breakdown might be, but that's a super important 20%. Layden described this group as the most faithful customers who often buy multiple copies. There is no indication Sony will change its mind. In July, the company acknowledged "strong views" from the community but insisted it wouldn't budge.
The trend toward digital is evident elsewhere. There are no plans for a disc version of GTA 6. Its special edition will contain only a code in an otherwise empty box.
Data sources and estimates
The sales figures were posted by Christopher Dring of The Game Business, sourcing data from Ampere Analysis. These figures show a variance from earlier estimates. Alinea Analytics previously estimated 1.9 million total copies sold for Marvel's Wolverine, a difference of roughly 216,000 units from the Ampere data.
Marvel's Wolverine is on track to match Ghost of Yotei's sales and is currently outselling Astro Bot and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
