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The latest data from analytics firm Circana show that Xbox and PlayStation sales in the United States are plunging. In the first eight months of 2026, Xbox sales fell by as much as 33% and PlayStation by 25% compared with the same period last year. Are rising hardware prices to blame?
The data was published by Mat Piscatella, an analyst at Circana. According to him, Xbox recorded the worst sales performance in its history, based on the number of consoles sold in the US from January to August. PlayStation isn't faring any better; its result is the lowest since 2013.
Consoles are getting more expensive
One of the main problems could be rising device prices. In the US the Xbox Series X with a disc drive currently costs US$799.99, while the PS5 Pro is US$899.99. What's more, the average price paid for a new Xbox in the first eight months of the year was US$529, which is 26% higher than a year earlier. For PlayStation it was US$597, a rise of 20%. Both figures are record highs for the American market. Price increases are driven in part by more expensive components and shortages of memory, for which AI data centres are reporting huge demand.
Manufacturers are pinning their hopes on the upcoming release of GTA VI, which could again boost interest in consoles. The question, however, is whether gamers will be willing to spend ever-larger sums on several-year-old hardware.
Sources: Tom's Hardware, bsky @ Mat Piscatella
