Key information
The United States video game market experienced a 9% decline in total spending during August 2026, reaching $4.3 billion according to Circana data shared by analyst Mat Piscatella. This downturn was largely driven by an 18% drop in the mobile gaming sector.
Hardware sales faced significant challenges, with 559,000 consoles sold, marking the lowest volume for an August since 2013. Despite a 15% decrease in units sold, the average price for a new console reached a record high of $541.
The Nintendo Switch 2 led the market in both units and revenue, followed by the PlayStation 5. While the PS5 saw a 17% increase in revenue, this growth was offset by 13% declines in hardware earnings for both the Xbox Series and the Switch 2.
Consumer preferences in August favored sports titles, with NBA 2K27 and Madden NFL 27 topping the sales charts. Meanwhile, the PC market bucked the broader downward trend, recording a 13% increase in spending, and subscription services saw a modest 3% growth.
