It has been a tough vacation season for video game hardware to date. Analytics firm Circana launched its November report on Wednesday, showing rising prices and console gross sales at their worst point in decades.
Based on Circana director Mat Piscatella, the common value of a brand new unit of online game {hardware} has risen from round $235 in 2019 to $439 in 2025. That seems to be a significant driver within the decline of video game spending, which has dropped to $5.9 billion, a 4% lower from final 12 months’s $6.1 billion.
These are unfavorable numbers, contemplating that November sometimes performs fairly properly because of Black Friday gross sales, with many individuals ready for this time of 12 months to buy costly game consoles. {Hardware} costs could have made this much less possible now, particularly for consoles. Total, {hardware} spending decreased to $695 million, the bottom stage since 2005.
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The reviews indicated that Microsoft Xbox Collection console gross sales had been down 70% year-over-year, whereas the Sony PlayStation 5 — which remained the highest-selling console of the month — was down 40%. Nintendo Change and Switch 2 gross sales, in the meantime, had been down solely 10%, whereas basic online game equipment had been down 13%.
Among the many top-selling video video games in November 2025 had been Name of Obligation: Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6, in line with knowledge from Circana. Prime video games additionally embrace longtime favorites like Minecraft and Crimson Useless Redemption II, in addition to newcomers like Ghost of Yotei and The Outer Worlds 2.
A consultant from Circana did not instantly reply to a request for remark.
Are online game prices ever going to fall?
In case you’re ready for consoles and different {hardware} to start out dropping in value, you might need to rethink. Consultants anticipate the growing costs of RAM in latest months to proceed properly into subsequent 12 months. That is more likely to result in even greater prices for all online game consoles sooner or later.
In case you’re planning to buy costly online game {hardware}, we advise profiting from out there vacation reductions every time attainable. Issues aren’t seemingly to enhance in 2026.
In terms of bodily online game media, similar to recreation discs, it is tougher to guage. As avid gamers concentrate on digital purchases, it might be time to search for physical games, as they’re extra more likely to stay in inventory because of this 12 months’s low gross sales numbers.
