Circana Says Hardware Market in the US is in Most 'Precarious Position Since the Early 80s'

Circana Says Hardware Market in the US is in Most 'Precarious Position Since the Early 80s' — Live Feedhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/circana-says-hardware-market-in-the-us-is-in-most-precarious-position-since-the-early-80sContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. US Console Market in Most Precarious Position Since Early 1980shttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/circana-says-hardware-market-in-the-us-is-in-most-precarious-position-since-the-early-80shttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/circana-says-hardware-market-in-the-us-is-in-most-precarious-position-since-the-early-80s#u130207Sun, 18 Oct 2026 02:31:50 +0000The US video game hardware market has entered its most precarious state since the early 1980s, according to Circana Senior Director Mat Piscatella. Year-to-date sales through August 2026 show Xbox hardware unit sales falling 33% compared to last year, reaching an all-time low. PlayStation hardware units decreased by 25%, the lowest point for the brand since 2013. These declines are driven by record-high console prices resulting from memory and storage shortages caused by high demand for AI data center components.Why it mattersHigh hardware costs are deterring consumers as average prices for ne