It’s been a rough holiday season for video game hardware so far. Analytics company Circana released its November report on Wednesday, showing rising prices and console sales at their worst point in decades.
According to Circana director Mat Piscatella, the average price of a new unit of video game hardware has risen from around $235 in 2019 to $439 in 2025. That appears to be a major driver in the decline of video game spending, which has dropped to $5.9 billion, a 4% decrease from last year’s $6.1 billion.
Those are unfavorable numbers, considering that November typically performs quite well due to Black Friday sales, with many people waiting for this time of year to purchase expensive game consoles. Hardware prices may have made this less feasible now, especially for consoles. Overall, hardware spending decreased to $695 million, the lowest level since 2005.
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The reports indicated that Microsoft Xbox Series console sales were down 70% year-over-year, while the Sony PlayStation 5 — which remained the highest-selling console of the month — was down 40%. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 sales, meanwhile, were down only 10%, while general video game accessories were down 13%.
Among the top-selling video games in November 2025 were Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6, according to data from Circana. Top games also include longtime favorites like Minecraft and Red Dead Redemption II, as well as newcomers like Ghost of Yotei and The Outer Worlds 2.
A representative from Circana didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Are video game costs ever going to fall?
If you’re waiting for consoles and other hardware to start dropping in price, you may want to reconsider. Experts expect the growing costs of RAM in recent months to continue well into next year. That’s likely to lead to even higher costs for all video game consoles in the future.
If you’re planning to purchase expensive video game hardware, we suggest taking advantage of available holiday discounts whenever possible. Things aren’t likely to improve in 2026.
When it comes to physical video game media, such as game discs, it’s harder to judge. As gamers focus on digital purchases, it may be a good time to search for physical games, as they’re more likely to remain in stock due to this year’s low sales numbers.
