US Console Sales Hit 30-Year November Low in 2025

U.S. video game console sales plummeted in November 2025, marking the weakest holiday shopping month for hardware in nearly three decades, as rising prices and economic pressures deterred buyers despite Black Friday promotions and new releases.

According to data from analytics firm Circana, total console hardware units sold across all platforms reached just 1.6 million, the lowest November figure since 1995, when sales totaled 1.4 million. Hardware revenue fell 27 percent year over year to approximately $695 million, while overall U.S. video game spending, including software and accessories, declined 4 percent to $5.9 billion from $6.1 billion the previous November. The average price paid for a new console hit a record $439, up 11 percent from the prior year and more than double the $235 average in 2019.

The downturn affected all major platforms, though to varying degrees. Sony's PlayStation 5 emerged as the top-selling console by both unit volume and revenue, the first time it has outperformed Nintendo's lineup since the Switch 2's June launch. However, PS5 sales dropped 40 percent year over year. Nintendo's combined Switch and Switch 2 sales fell 10 percent compared to...