Hardware Sales Decline: A Historic November for Gaming
November 2025 marked a significant downturn in the gaming industry, as hardware sales and physical game spending in the US hit their lowest levels in 30 years. According to Circana, only 1.6 million units of video game hardware were sold, a stark contrast to the 1.4 million sold back in 1995, reflecting a 27% drop in monthly hardware spending to just $695 million. This decline is particularly striking given that November is typically a peak month for sales, driven by Black Friday deals and holiday shopping.
The average price for new video game hardware reached an all-time high of $439, which likely contributed to the reduced sales volume. Despite these challenges, the PlayStation 5 emerged as the best-selling console, followed closely by the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S. In terms of software, spending on physical titles fell 14% compared to last year, marking another record low since tracking began.
As the gaming landscape evolves, the question remains: how will console manufacturers adapt to these economic pressures and changing consumer behaviors? With rising component costs and tariffs, the future of dedicated gaming devices hangs in the balance.
Original source: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/hardware-sales-and-physical-game-spending-in-the-us-just-had-the-worst-november-in-30-years/