Mat Piscatella says Marvel’s Wolverine drove PlayStation 5 sales, GTA 6 likely helped

PlayStation 5 hardware sales climbed 22 percent from the previous month late in 2026, according to Circana data reported by IGN.

Mat Piscatella of Circana said Marvel’s Wolverine was the main driver of the increase, with NBA 2K27 and GTA 6 also likely contributing. He said Xbox Series hardware did not receive a similar boost during the month.

Marvel’s Wolverine topped the September 2026 US software sales rankings per Circana. The game sold about 2.16 million copies on PlayStation 5 during the month, according to Ampere. Circana also ranked it 11th in year-to-date US sales. Piscatella described the showing as strong though not as large as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

IGN reported that the Marvel’s Wolverine hardware bundle sold out, and the limited edition DualSense controller was the best-selling accessory of the month. KeenGamer said physical purchases made up about 35 percent of launch sales for the $70 PlayStation 5 exclusive.

Simon Cardy of IGN scored Marvel’s Wolverine at 6 out of 10, criticizing combat that wears thin before the conclusion. Insomniac Games added an option to disable the objective-guiding scent trail and reduced the trail’s opacity after player complaints.

KeenGamer reported that the studio also clarified Logan and Sabretooth are not romantically involved after comments about their relationship drew criticism. Early PlayStation Store player ratings stood at 4.83 out of 5, with more than 92 percent of reviewers giving the game five stars.

Player One reported that Sensor Tower estimates put Grand Theft Auto VI digital preorders at about 6.45 million copies worldwide worth roughly $630 million as of Oct. 20, 2026. The tracker added about 370,000 preorders and roughly $36 million during the week before that date. On Oct. 13, 2026, totals were 6.08 million copies worth $594 million, compared with 4.38 million copies worth $429 million on Aug. 18, 2026. Preorders opened on June 25.

Netflix’s showing of the Extended Look on Aug. 27, 2026 drove a preorder jump of more than 500 percent over the two days around it. Sensor Tower’s chart places Grand Theft Auto VI ahead of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Hogwarts Legacy, Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 in US digital preorders, with a 148 percent lead compared with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 at the same pre-launch point.

About 4.8 million Grand Theft Auto VI digital preorders worth $468 million are on PlayStation 5, or 74 percent of the total. Xbox Series X and S represent roughly 1.66 million worth $162 million, with Xbox’s share rising from about 23 percent in mid-August 2026 to 26 percent. Player One cited TalkEsport’s analysis tying the PlayStation 5 preorder lead to Rockstar’s marketing agreement with Sony.

The Ultimate Edition priced at $99.99 accounted for about 89 percent of preorders, versus $79.99 for the Standard Edition. United Kingdom listings show the Standard Edition at £69.99 and the Ultimate Edition at £89.99. Sensor Tower’s Karl Kontus said premium editions usually represent 10 to 20 percent of preorders, adding that he had never seen anything close to the roughly 90 percent share.

Grand Theft Auto VI launches Nov. 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and on Xbox Series X and S, with preloading beginning Nov. 12. Player One said analysts expect the largest preorder jump around Nov. 12, with additional late buyers expected in the final two weeks before release.

The PlayStation 5 version supports fast loads through the ultra-high-speed SSD, adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, an integrated speaker, and Tempest 3D audio, with near-instant load times and no loading screens. Rob Nelson, Rockstar’s Head of Development, said the base PlayStation 5 version runs at 30 FPS while the game is still in development.

Beebom reported that Grand Theft Auto VI is a PlayStation 5 Pro enhanced title, though Rockstar has not revealed the Pro-specific enhancements.

Sony Japan set up a lottery for PlayStation 5 Pro purchases through the Sony Store, requiring 60 hours of confirmed playtime on PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 hardware between Sept. 27, 2024 and Sept. 27, 2026. The lottery limits customers to one purchase each through Oct. 7, 2026, with results confirmed by Oct. 26 and delivery expected in the first half of November. Standard PlayStation 5 models remain available in Japan, but the PlayStation 5 Pro faces shortages.

KeenGamer reported that PlayStation 5 led the United States hardware market in revenue and units sold in September 2026, its strongest performance since May 2025. Dollar sales rose 43 percent year-over-year and unit sales increased 22 percent year-over-year. Across the total market, hardware unit sales fell 3 percent, with Nintendo Switch 2 down 14 percent and Xbox Series X and S down 27 percent, a record September low for Xbox.

IGN reported that used PlayStation 5 Pro units have reached $1,400, which is $500 above shelf price, while Amazon and GameStop list new units for $1,399. Unconfirmed rumors suggest the next Xbox, Project Helix, could cost up to $1,800, and leaks suggest the PlayStation 6 may need around $680 for just its RAM and SSD.

ComicBook.com reported that Rockstar Games has shown Grand Theft Auto VI only on PlayStation 5, not on Xbox Series X, and is bringing back a Grand Theft Auto IV feature in the sequel. Player One said the next Take-Two earnings report is expected to be the first official source of Grand Theft Auto VI sales figures, and Take-Two Chief Executive Officer Strauss Zelnick declined to declare victory before launch.