top of page

Marvel’s Wolverine Tops September 2026 U.S. Sales as Total Spending Dips 1%

Writer: Sagar Mankar
Sagar Mankar
2 minutes ago
3 min read

U.S. video game spending slipped 1% in September 2026 compared to a year ago, landing at $4.8 billion. Marvel’s Wolverine took the top spot on the monthly chart, while NBA 2K27 moved to number one on the year to date list.


The Circana data, shared by analyst Mat Piscatella, covers August 30 to October 3 and shows a market that is steadier than it was in August.


Wolverine in yellow-and-black mask, rain-soaked and tense in a dark blue-orange scene, looking upward in alarm

Overall Market

Total spending across content, hardware and accessories reached $4,756 million, down from $4,796 million in September 2025. Year to date, spending sits at $41,038 million, which is 3% behind last year’s $42,234 million.


Here is the breakdown for the month:

  1. Total spending: $4,756M, down 1% (YTD: $41,038M, down 3%)

  2. Video game content: $4,177M, down 2% (YTD: $36,340M, down 2%)

  3. Hardware: $362M, up 12% (YTD: $2,905M, down 9%)

  4. Accessories: $218M, up 10% (YTD: $1,794M, down 2%)


That is a clear shift from August, when hardware spending fell and only accessories grew.


Which Games Led the Charts in September?

September was one of the busiest release months of the year. Eight of the top 10 games were new. Marvel’s Wolverine claimed first place, and NBA 2K27 slid to second after leading in August.


Here's the September 2026 top 10, ranked by physical and full-game digital dollar sales:

  1. Marvel’s Wolverine (Sony), new

  2. NBA 2K27 (Take-Two Interactive), last month #1

  3. EA Sports FC 27 (Electronic Arts), new

  4. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave (Nintendo), new

  5. The Blood of Dawnwalker (Bandai Namco Entertainment), new

  6. Wardogs (Team17), new

  7. Onimusha: Way of the Sword (Capcom USA), new

  8. Halloween: The Game (IllFonic Publishing), new

  9. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve (Bandai Namco Entertainment), new

  10. Madden NFL 27 (Electronic Arts), last month #2


Marvel’s Wolverine received criticism upon release, with some players dissatisfied by the heavily guided gameplay and critics offering mixed opinions. However, sales painted a very different picture. According to Piscatella, Wolverine delivered the “highest launch month full game dollar sales for a Sony-published title since February 2024.” That was the month Helldivers 2 arrived. The game also ranks as the 11th best-selling title of 2026 so far.


Year to Date Chart

NBA 2K27 has taken over the top spot for 2026. It jumped from third to first and knocked Resident Evil: Requiem down to second. Notably, Requiem had held the lead for eight months. The Circana data covers January 4 to October 3, 2026, and the full top 10 is below:

  1. NBA 2K27 (Take-Two Interactive), last month #3

  2. Resident Evil: Requiem (Capcom USA), last month #1

  3. 007 First Light (IO Interactive), last month #2

  4. MLB: The Show 26 (Multiple publishers), last month #4

  5. Crimson Desert (Pearl Abyss), last month #5

  6. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Microsoft), last month #6

  7. Forza Horizon 6 (Microsoft), last month #7

  8. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Nintendo), last month #8

  9. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (Warner Bros. Games), last month #9

  10. Pokemon: Pokopia (Nintendo), last month #10


Mat Piscatella explains that Circana tracks Madden NFL 27’s sales across three titles: Madden NFL 27, the EA Sports Kickoff Bundle, and the EA Sports MVP Bundle. Since Circana doesn’t break down bundle spending, Madden NFL 27 doesn’t show up in the year-to-date top 10.


Is the Hardware Market Bouncing Back?

It is a much better story than August. Hardware spending grew 12% to $362 million. Year to date, spending is still 9% behind 2025’s pace at $2.9 billion. Still, the monthly jump is a welcome change.


PlayStation led the way. Here is how the platforms compared:

  1. PlayStation 5 dollar sales grew 43% year over year.

  2. PS5 unit sales rose 22%, and it led all platforms in both units and dollars.

  3. Xbox Series dollar sales fell 2%, while units dropped 27%.

  4. Switch 2 dollar sales fell 12%, while units declined 14%.


Xbox unit sales hit their lowest ever for a September, according to Circana. Sony’s dollar share of the hardware market also reached its highest point in a month since May 2025. Some of the PS5 dollar growth comes from its higher price compared to last year.


Circana shared the average price paid per hardware unit in September, along with the change from a year ago:

  1. PS5: $646, up 17% (from $551)

  2. Xbox Series: $663, up 33% (from $497)

  3. Switch 2: $498, up 2% (from $486)


What Comes Next for the Market?

September gave the industry a bit of relief. Spending is nearly flat, hardware is up and new releases filled the charts. The big question is how long that momentum lasts.


October should be interesting. It is the release month for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, the other major launch of 2026. November will be the real test. Grand Theft Auto VI arrives on November 19 and is expected to shake up both software and hardware trends.

Comments

bottom of page