US console sales have fallen to levels not seen in years, with Xbox hardware at an all-time low. Circana's retail tracking shows Xbox unit sales down 33 percent in the first eight months of 2026 and PlayStation down 25 percent, PlayStation's weakest showing since 2013. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella shared the figures on Bluesky (Wccftech, Gaming.net).
What the figures show
| Platform | US unit sales, January to August 2026 | Average selling price |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox | Down 33%, an all-time low going back nearly 25 years | $529, up 26% |
| PlayStation | Down 25%, lowest since 2013 | $597, up 20% |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Led the US market in units and dollars, August and year to date | - |
The figures are US only and compare year-to-date units with the same period in 2025. August alone looked slightly different: PlayStation units fell 11 percent to the lowest August since 2013, and Xbox units dropped 31 percent. Dollar sales held up better than units, with PS5 hardware dollar sales up 17 percent in August even as units fell, because prices are higher (Notebookcheck). Circana describes both average prices as US record highs, and Piscatella said price sensitivity is becoming a real problem.
Current US console prices
| Console | US price |
|---|---|
| Xbox Series S 512GB / 1TB | $499.99 / $599.99 |
| Xbox Series X Digital / Disc | $749.99 / $799.99 (2TB model discontinued) |
| PS5 Digital / Disc | $599.99 / $649.99 |
| PS5 Pro | $899.99 |
| PlayStation Portal | $249.99 (was $199.99 at launch) |
| Refurbished PS5 Slim | $399, up $100 |
Prices as listed by Tom's Hardware; Xbox has raised console prices three times in two years.
Why prices rose
Circana ties the increases mainly to component shortages caused by AI data centre demand, which has pushed up memory and other chip costs. Rising living costs also make a console a lower priority for many families. Those are the explanations offered, not a measured breakdown of each price rise.
A market under strain
Piscatella said the US hardware market is in a more precarious position than at any time since the early 1980s, a reference to the video game crash of that era. That is his assessment, not a forecast.
What could change it
Piscatella said the "Big Video Game" in November, widely read as GTA 6 on November 19, may ease some declines, but its effect depends on console prices and availability given the component shortage. These figures cover the US only.
What to watch next
Circana's September and October reports for a holiday bounce, any new price moves from Microsoft or Sony, and whether memory prices ease.
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