Xbox and PlayStation console sales in the US are having a rough 2026, according to new Circana data that analyst Mat Piscatella shared on Bluesky. For the year 2026 through August, Xbox hardware unit sales are down 33% year over year, while PlayStation units are 25% lower. That puts Xbox at an all-time low and PlayStation at its lowest point since 2013.
Pricing is the main culprit, with buyers paying an average of $529 for a new Xbox console (26% higher) and $597 for a PlayStation (up 20%), both record highs for the US. The decline follows price hikes tied to memory and storage shortages, with Sony raising the PS5 Pro to $899.99 in April, Microsoft pushing the Xbox Series X to $799.99 on August 1, and Nintendo moving the Switch 2 to $499.99 in September. August sales fell 15% to 559,000 units, the lowest August total since 2013.
The Switch 2 remains the best-selling console of 2026 in both units and dollars. Piscatella noted the US hardware market hasn't been "in a more precarious position since the early 80s," though GTA 6's launch could ease declines depending on availability and pricing.
Source: TechPowerUp News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing