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It’s been a rough holiday season Video game consoles yet. Analytics firm Circana released its November report on Wednesday, Show higher prices And console sales in Their worst point in decades.
According to Circana CEO Matt Piscatella, the average price of a new unit of video game consoles has risen from about $235 in 2019 to $439 in 2025. This appears to be the main driver behind the decline. Video game spending, Which fell to $5.9 billionDown 4% from last year, $6.1 billion.
These are unfavorable numbers, considering that November usually performs very well due to Black Friday sales, as many people wait for this time of year to buy expensive products. Game controllers. Hardware prices may make this less feasible now, especially for consoles. Overall, hardware spending fell to $695 million, the lowest level since 2005.
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Reports indicated that Microsoft Xbox Series console sales were down 70% year-on-year, while Sony’s PlayStation 5 – which remained the best-selling console for the month – was down 40%. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Meanwhile, sales 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. Top games also include long-time favorites like Minecraft and Red Dead Redemption II, as well as newer titles like Ghost of Yotei and The Outer Worlds 2.
A Circana representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Will video game costs ever decrease?
If you’ve been waiting for prices to drop for consoles and other hardware, you may want to reconsider. Experts predict Increased costs of RAM In recent months to continue well into next year. This will likely lead to higher costs for all video game consoles in the future.
If you’re planning on purchasing expensive video game consoles, we suggest taking advantage of available holiday discounts whenever possible. Things are unlikely to improve in 2026.
When it comes to physical video game media, like game discs, it’s hard to judge. Since players are focusing on digital purchases, this could be a good time to do so Find physical gamesas they will likely remain in stock due to lower sales numbers this year.