PlayStation Hardware Sales Hit Lowest Point Since 2013 in US, and PS5's Price Is the Problem

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1. 59m ago

   US PlayStation Hardware Sales Hit 13-Year Low Amid Price Hikes

   PlayStation hardware sales in the US fell 25% year-over-year through August 2026, reaching the lowest point since 2013. This decline coincides with an average PS5 price of US$ 597. Xbox hardware sales fell further by 33%, marking an all-time low for the brand. Circana data indicates the broader US console market is in its most precarious position since the early 1980s. High costs for memory and storage have driven price increases across the industry, including the PS5 Pro at $900 and Series X at $800.

   Why it matters

   Hardware shortages in memory and storage are driving up retail prices for current-generation consoles. This trend is suppressing unit sales across all major platforms. The market is currently struggling with a balance between high production costs and consumer affordability.

   What is confirmed

   • PlayStation hardware sales in the US reached their lowest point since 2013.
   • PS5 unit sales fell 25% year-over-year through August 2026.
   • Xbox hardware sales decreased by 33% in the US.
   • The average price of the PS5 in the US rose to US$ 597.
   • Circana describes the US hardware market as being in its most precarious position since the early 1980s.
   • Memory and storage shortages have caused video game hardware prices to soar.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The PS5 Pro is priced at $900 and the Series X at $800.
   • US console hardware sales were down 15% in August.

   What to watch next

   • Quarterly financial reports from Sony and Microsoft regarding US hardware revenue
   • Updated Circana data for the final quarter of 2026
   • Price adjustments or discounts for the PS5 and Xbox Series X to combat sales declines
   Sources used for this update (16)

   1. Yahoo Finance — Video game hardware sales plunge to 13-year low as prices soar on memory, storage shortage
   2. Forbes — Xbox Sales At An All-Time Low With PlayStation Its Worst In 13 Years
   3. VGChartz — Switch 2 vs Switch 1 Sales Comparison in the US - August 2026
   4. Inven Global — US Console Market Called "Worst Since 1980s"... Xbox Pushes Ahead
   5. Push Square — PlayStation Hardware Sales Hit Lowest Point Since 2013 in US, and PS5's Price Is the Problem
   6. Tom's Hardware — Console market craters as Xbox sales crash 33% to the lowest since launch 25 years ago, PS5 sales drop 25% — steep price hikes push Series X to $800 and PS5 Pro to $900
   7. VGChartz — Circana Says Hardware Market in the US is in Most 'Precarious Position Since the Early 80s'
   8. shattered.io — Xbox Sales Crash 33%, PS5 Drops 25% as Prices Soar [2026]
   9. umgamer.com — PS5 Posts Worst Sales Year in the US Since 2013
   10. attractmo.de — PlayStation US Hardware Sales Hit 13-Year Low Amid High PS5 ...
   11. psxextreme.com — PlayStation Hardware Sales At Lowest Since 2013 - PSX Extreme
   12. trendintech.com — PS5, Xbox Hardware Sales Hit 13-Year Low: Down 15% [2026]
   confidence 95%