US Xbox Sales Hit Historic Low Amid Record Prices While PlayStation Sees Weakest Result Since 2013

According to an analyst, the market situation has not been this difficult since the video game industry crisis of the early 1980s.

According to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, Xbox and PlayStation sales in the United States dropped significantly during the first eight months of 2026 amid record-breaking price increases.

Based on data published by Piscatella following the end of August, unit sales for Xbox consoles fell by 33% year-over-year since the start of the year. This marks the platform’s worst result on record in the United States. PlayStation saw a 25% decline, reaching its lowest level since 2013.

The analyst considers the rapid surge in video game console prices to be one of the primary reasons for the downturn. Since the beginning of 2026, US buyers paid an average of $529 for a new Xbox, which is 26% higher than the previous year. The average price of a PlayStation reached $597, representing a 20% increase. Both figures set all-time highs for the American market.

Total US console sales in August fell by 15% year-over-year to 559,000 units. This is the lowest result for the month of August since 2013.

PlayStation unit sales dropped by 11%, hitting a 13-year low for the month of August. Xbox showed an even steeper decline of 31%, dropping to its worst August result since 2020. Nintendo hardware sales also decreased by 15%.

Meanwhile, the average price of a new console purchased in August reached a record $541, compared to $476 a year prior.

PlayStation 5 serves as a clear example of this trend. Despite a drop in the number of devices sold, Sony’s hardware revenue increased by 17% in August. This occurred because buyers purchased fewer consoles while paying significantly more for each individual unit.

The leader of the US market in both unit sales and revenue for August, as well as year-to-date, was the Nintendo Switch 2. PlayStation 5 took second place in both categories, while the Xbox Series X|S lagged significantly behind its competitors.