Video Game Hardware Sales Are the Worst in Decades: Here’s Why You Should Buy Now
The holiday season was difficult for video game hardware so far. Analytics firm Circana released its November report on Wednesday, showing rising console prices and sales at their worst level in decades.
According to Mat Piscatella, director of Circana, the average price of a new unit of video game hardware increased from about $235 in 2019 to $439 in 2025. That appears to be a major factor in the decline in video game spending, which fell to $5.9 billion, a 4% drop from last year’s $6.1 billion.
These are unfavorable numbers, considering that November usually does quite well due to Black Friday sales, with many people waiting for this time of year to purchase expensive products. game consoles. Hardware prices may have made this less feasible now, especially for consoles. Overall, spending on computer hardware declined to $695 million, the lowest level since 2005.
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Reports indicated that Microsoft Xbox Series console sales were down 70% year-over-year, while the Sony PlayStation 5 – which remained the best-selling console of the month – was down 40%. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Sales, meanwhile, were down just 10%, while general video game accessories were down 13%.
Among the best-selling video games in November 2025 were Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6, according to Circana data. The best games also include long-time favorites like Minecraft and Red Dead Redemption II, as well as newcomers like Ghost of Yotei and The Outer Worlds 2.
A representative for Circana did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Will video game costs ever go down?
If you’re waiting for prices on consoles and other hardware to start dropping, you might want to reconsider. Experts expect the rise in RAM costs over the past few months to continue into next year. This will likely lead to even higher costs for all video game consoles in the future.
If you’re planning to purchase expensive video game hardware, we suggest you take advantage of the available holiday discounts as much as possible. Things are unlikely to improve in 2026.
When it comes to physical video game media, such as game discs, it’s harder to judge. As gamers focus on digital purchases, now may be a good time to seek out physical games, as they are more likely to remain in stock due to this year’s low sales numbers.
