Wolverine’s Physical Sales Surge Ahead of Shift Away from Discs

Marvel’s Wolverine is shaping up to be one of the final first-party PlayStation titles released on disc. While you might assume that this means physical sales of the PS5 exclusive are insignificant, recent estimates suggest otherwise. Data from Ampere Analysis indicates that around 35 percent of Wolverine sales were for disc versions.

This information was shared with an outlet that also provided insights into the sales performance of other top PlayStation titles in September 2025. Wolverine wasn’t alone in its strong physical sales; Blood of Dawnwalker reportedly sold 36 percent of its copies in disc format, while Silent Hill Townfall achieved an impressive 45 percent in physical sales. The demand for physical copies has been particularly robust in various parts of Europe, where PlayStation continues to lead the gaming market.

The question remains: is this surge in physical sales merely a last hurrah as fans rush to grab what they can before Sony fully transitions to digital, or does it indicate that there’s still a viable market for physical gaming?

“People have a need to collect,” noted Joost van Dreunen, a business professor and gaming analyst. “That’s where physical sales remain incredibly relevant for consumers. The industry is ready to move on, but not at lightning speed. This is becoming a significant aspect of the market.”

Interestingly, physical gaming spending in the U.S. saw a month-over-month increase in August, driven by a surge in game-key card sales for Switch 2 as players eagerly snap up new releases and ports like Elden Ring. As Sony’s controversial shift towards an all-digital future continues to unfold, the possibility of re-evaluating this decision seems more plausible, especially if Xbox opts to retain some form of physical gaming for its next-gen Project Helix devices.