Entertainment · Gaming · 1 day ago
US Xbox and PlayStation sales fall as console prices reach record highs
Xbox and PlayStation console sales in the US have fallen sharply this year, according to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella.
Through August, Xbox sales were down 33% from a year earlier, while PlayStation sales were down 25%.
At the same time, the average price paid for an Xbox rose to $529, and for a PlayStation to $597, both record highs in the US.
Higher memory costs, linked in part to demand from AI data centres, are putting pressure on console prices and how many units manufacturers can produce.
Piscatella said the US console market is in its most precarious position since the early 1980s.
He said the release of GTA 6 next month could help sales, depending on prices and console availability.
Micron’s CEO has warned that memory shortages could last until at least 2028.
US Xbox hardware sales were down 33% year over year, while PlayStation hardware sales were down 25%, according to figures shared by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella.
The year-to-date figures through August 2026 were an all-time low for Xbox and PlayStation’s lowest point since 2013.
Average US prices paid for new consoles reached record highs: $529 for Xbox and $597 for PlayStation.
Piscatella said higher prices were making buyers more sensitive and described the US console hardware market as being in its most precarious position since the early 1980s.
The articles link rising console costs partly to higher memory-component prices and demand from AI data centres; Piscatella said a shortage could also limit console availability.
Piscatella said the expected launch of GTA 6 next month could help ease sales declines, depending on pricing and product availability.
- Who
- Xbox and PlayStation; Circana analyst Mat Piscatella
- What
- US console hardware sales fell as average prices reached record highs.
- When
- Year to date through August 2026
- Where
- United States
- Why
- Higher console prices, linked partly to rising memory-component costs and demand from AI data centres
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Price sensitivity is becoming a real problem.
The US hardware market has not been in a more precarious position since the early 80s
When I joined as CEO in February, the price we paid for console storage components was over 2x as high as we paid last fall.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Xbox hardware sales
- Down 33% year over year in the US
- PlayStation hardware sales
- Down 25% year over year in the US
- Average Xbox console price paid
- $529 in 2026 year to date through August, 26% higher than a year earlier
- Average PlayStation console price paid
- $597 in 2026 year to date through August, 20% higher than a year earlier
- Memory shortages
- Micron’s CEO warned they are expected to persist until at least 2028
Sources
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