Wolverine's Japanese launch sees sharp drop from Spider-Man sales
Marvel's Wolverine has taken a commercial bite in Japan, but not as big as its web-slinging cousin. According to Famitsu data reported by Push Square, the game sold 20,039 physical copies in its first week there.
That figure represents a massive drop compared to Insomniac's Spider-Man games in the region. The outlet notes that when compared to Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which was also a PS5-only title at launch, Wolverine sold less than a third of Spider-Man 2's opening week numbers. Push Square suggests that Spider-Man is simply a more popular superhero than Wolverine in Japan, contributing to the wider initial audience.
The physical sales data also doesn't include digital purchases. Other factors, per Push Square, include the PS5's smaller install base in Japan compared to the PS4 and the continued popularity of the Nintendo Switch 2 in the region.
Meanwhile, a separate report from GameSpot, citing analytics firm Circana, indicates the game is performing well commercially in other markets, breaking a live-service stranglehold on PlayStation charts.
Push Square notes that Insomniac has been updating the game post-launch to address player criticisms, like reducing the visibility of Logan's scent trails. The outlet suggests these types of Marvel games often have long sales tails, with discounts potentially boosting numbers later.
