US Video Game Hardware Sales Hit Record Low in November

Spending on video game hardware in November reached $695 million, marking a 27 percent decline from the previous year, according to market analysis. This figure represents the lowest hardware spending for November since the $455 million recorded in November 2005. Additionally, 1.6 million hardware units were sold in the US during the month, the lowest total for November since 1995, when sales hit 1.4 million.

The rising prices of consoles likely contributed to this downturn. Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles celebrated their fifth anniversaries in November, but new buyers are facing higher costs due to price increases implemented this year. This has resulted in an “all-time November high” for the average price of new video game hardware, which stands at $439—an 11 percent increase from 2024. For context, the average price in November 2019 was just $235.

In terms of sales, the PlayStation 5 emerged as the best-selling hardware for the month, both in units and revenue, a first since the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch 2 secured the second spot in both categories, while the Nex Playground came in third for units sold, with the Xbox Series consoles ranking third in revenue.

On the software side, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 topped the sales charts for the month. However, the Call of Duty franchise saw a double-digit percentage decline in full game dollar sales compared to November 2024. In response to these trends, Activision recently announced a shift in its Call of Duty release strategy, opting not to release Modern Warfare or Black Ops titles back-to-back in the future.