- The Nintendo Switch 2 is now the second-fastest selling video game hardware in US tracked history
- The console sold 5.9 million units by the end of its first year of release
- The PS5 and Xbox Series consoles have seen a drop in sales due to price increases
The Nintendo Switch 2 just hit a huge sales record in the US within the first 12 months of its release, but sales of Xbox and PS5 console units have seen a steep decline.
According to a new report from Circana, the Switch 2 was the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars for May and 2026 year to date, achieving a US install base of 5.9 million units by the end of its first year of release.
This makes the Switch 2 the second-fastest selling video game hardware in US tracked history, behind the Game Boy Advance, which sold 6.5 million units in its first year.
Thanks to the Switch 2, total spending on gaming hardware is up 38% to $249 million compared to a year ago.
However, due to recent price increases, PS5 spending fell 43% and had a significant 58% drop in unit sales, while Xbox Series hardware spending grew 7% year-over-year but unit sales fell 12%.
As a result, “PlayStation hardware unit sales fell to their lowest May total since May 2000, while Xbox hardware unit sales were the lowest ever recorded for a May month.”
Microsoft announced yesterday that, effective August 1, 2026, the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles will increase by $100 for 512GB models and $150 for 1TB models. The company will also discontinue its 2TB model, a result of the ongoing memory crisis.
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