PlayStation And Xbox Sales In The US Plummeted Due To High Prices
Credit: PlayStation
US sales of Xbox consoles fell by a third and PlayStation sales by a quarter during the first eight months of 2026, amidst record-high average prices. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella described the state of the US console market as the most precarious since the early 1980s, when the North American gaming industry suffered a crash.
From the beginning of the year through August, sales of Xbox Series X and S consoles in the US fell by 33% compared to the previous year. The decline for the PlayStation 5 was less pronounced but still significant, with sales dropping by 25%.
Rising device prices have been a primary factor. Faced with higher costs, consumers are increasingly likely to postpone purchasing a new system or continue using their existing one. Component shortages are further exacerbating the issue; electronics manufacturers are contending with rising prices for memory and other parts that are also in high demand for the construction of AI data centers. These additional costs are forcing companies to raise the prices of finished devices.
According to an analyst, the US game console market has not been in such a precarious position since the early 1980s. At the same time, the Nintendo Switch 2 remains the leader of the US market in terms of units sold.
