"The Ladder" received a warm reception from critics who saw the album as a return to creative form from the band. It reached a peak of No. 36 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 99 on the US "Billboard" 200. Three singles were released, "Homeworld (The Ladder)", "Lightning Strikes", and "If Only You Knew"; the former was used in the 1999 real-time strategy PC game "Homeworld" by Relic Entertainment. Yes supported the album with their 1999–2000 world tour, after which Sherwood left the band.