GameDev Reports Premium - Updates of the week (14.09.26

September 19, 2026 - 11:40

The online backlash surrounding Marvel's Wolverine has not translated into poor commercial performance. According to data shared by Rhys from Alinea Analytics, the game is performing strongly on the financial front, with early sales figures placing it ahead of several other recent PlayStation exclusives during their first three days on the market.

The comparison is striking. Ghost of Yotei brought in $121.9 million, which is 6.3 percent less than Wolverine. Death Stranding 2 earned $51.7 million, a gap of 60.3 percent. Astro Bot pulled in $34.6 million, trailing by 73.3 percent. Stellar Blade reached $32.7 million, down 74.9 percent. Rise of the Ronin managed $25.7 million, 80.3 percent lower. Helldivers 2 sat at $18.9 million, 85.5 percent behind.

The numbers suggest that loud negativity on social media does not always reflect the broader buying public. Plenty of players clearly decided the game was worth their money, and the ratings have held up well.

A lingering question involves the development budget. Some estimates put it at $300 million, a figure that seems inflated to many observers. Even if that number were accurate, the game has a realistic path to profitability within one to one and a half years.

The lesson here is simple. With so many games released every month, no single title needs to appeal to everyone. If a game does not click with one person, dozens of others will. In this case, the market spoke, and it spoke in Wolverine's favor.