Analyst says Xbox and PlayStation sales hit new lows as US hardware market faces its most precarious position since the early 80s

Circana analyst Mat Piscatella said Xbox and PS5 price hikes have hit sales hard, with US Xbox hardware units down 33% year on year and PlayStation hardware units down 25%, marking an all-time low for Xbox and PlayStation's lowest point since 2013. He said the average US price paid for a new Xbox console in 2026 year-to-date through August was $529, up 26% year on year, while the average PlayStation console sold for $597, up 20%, both all-time US highs. Piscatella said the US hardware market has not been in a more precarious position since the early 80s, and noted that GTA 6's launch next month might ease some of the declines, depending on pricing and product availability.