Circana: Xbox hits a low and PlayStation falls to 2013 levels
Through August, Xbox units are down 33% and PlayStation units 25% in the U.S., with record average prices. Switch 2 remains No. 1 in sales.
Mat Piscatella, an analyst at Circana, shared the August figures for the U.S. video game market on Bluesky on Oct. 9. For consoles, the result is bad: fewer units are selling, and each one costs more. The figures below come from coverage by Wccftech and Gaming.net, because the original thread did not load for this newsroom.
From January to August 2026, Xbox sold 33% fewer units than in the same stretch of 2025, its all-time low in the country. PlayStation fell 25%, its lowest level since 2013. The average price paid rose to record highs for both brands.
| Indicator | Xbox | PlayStation |
|---|---|---|
| Units, January to August | -33% | -25% |
| Average price, January to August | $529 (+26%) | $597 (+20%) |
| Units, August only | -31% | -11% |
In August alone, 559 000 consoles were sold in total: 15% fewer than in August 2025, the weakest figure for that month since 2013. The average price of a new console was $541, against $476 in August 2025, according to Wccftech. Hardware spending, at $302 million, fell only 3%, and PS5 dollar sales rose 17%. Nintendo Switch 2 topped the charts for units and dollars, in August and year to date. PS5 came second and Xbox Series third.
Piscatella described the moment this way, according to Gaming.net:
The U.S. console market has not been in a more fragile position since the early '80s.
Wccftech reports it, as a paraphrase, as a price sensitivity problem. The same outlet notes that Sony raised the price of the PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition by $100 each in April 2026, and the PS5 Pro by $150, to $899.99.
Gaming.net adds that total video game spending in August was $4 300 million, down 9%, and that, in Piscatella's view, console prices would return to normal levels around 2028. Circana expects GTA VI to launch in November, although its effect will depend on the price and availability of hardware.
The figures are for the United States and say nothing about Mexico. Circana will publish the September results on Oct. 22.
