U.S. Video Game Console Prices Surge 12% This Year: Find Out Why!

In the United States, video game hardware is experiencing unprecedented sales, reports Circana. This surge is partly due to a 12% increase in the average price per unit compared to last year.

According to Circana’s report from August, there was a 32% increase in hardware spending year-over-year, largely driven by the Nintendo Switch 2. This new console has compensated for the significant sales declines in other consoles such as the PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and the original Nintendo Switch. Presently, sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 are 77% higher than the original Switch during the same timeframe.

As highlighted by Piscatella on Bluesky, “The Nintendo Switch 2 has sold 2.4 million units life-to-date in its first three months, outpacing the record previously set by the PlayStation 4, which sold 2.2 million units in its first three months ending January 2014.”

Circana’s findings also show that hardware spending for the year has increased by 20% over the previous year, with unit sales rising by 6.5%. This growth in sales figures isn’t just due to an increase in the number of consoles sold; the average sale price per unit has also risen by 12.3% to $453.

“Indeed, hardware sales are robust this year, thanks especially to the Nintendo Switch 2. However, it’s the higher sales prices that are chiefly contributing to the overall growth in spending,” commented Piscatella.

August was also a notable month for sports video games, with NBA 2K26 leading the sales charts for the month across both PlayStation and Xbox platforms, and ranking as the fifth highest-selling game of the year so far. Madden NFL 26 followed closely, ranking as the tenth highest-selling game of the year, and also featured in both the EA Sports MVP Bundle (No.8 in August) and the EA Sports Kickoff Bundle (No.9).

New game releases in August included Mafia: The Old Country at No.3, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater at No.4, and Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar at No.19. Gears of War: Reloaded, while not making the overall best-selling chart, debuted at No.6 on PlayStation and No.8 on PC.

Significant sales movements were noted for Helldivers II, moving from No.25 to No.14, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Hinokami Chronicles 2, which rose from No.24 to No.10 after its release on August 1. Kirby and the Forgotten Land also climbed significantly from No.36 last month to No.6 this month on the Nintendo Switch charts, likely boosted by the release of the Star-Crossed World upgrade pack for Switch 2.

Overall, content spending increased by 11% to $4.2 billion for the month of August.

In the accessories category, the Nintendo Switch 2 pro controller was the top seller in terms of both unit sales and dollar sales for August and for the year to date.

Overall, total games spending rose by 11% year-over-year to $4.7 billion, significantly driven by NBA 2K26, the Nintendo Switch 2, and increased mobile spending.

Top 20 Best-Selling Games in the U.S. for August 2025:

1. NBA 2K26 (NEW)
2. Madden NFL 26 (NEW)
3. Mafia: The Old Country (NEW)
4. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (NEW)
5. EA Sports College Football 26
6. Gears of War: Reloaded
7. Donkey Kong Bananza
8. EA Sports MVP Bundle (2025)
9. EA Sports Kickoff Bundle (2025) (NEW)
10. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Hinokami Chronicles 2
11. Minecraft*
12. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
13. Grand Theft Auto V
14. Helldivers II
15. Forza Horizon 5
16. Grounded 2
17. WWE 2K25
18. Hogwarts Legacy
19. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (NEW)
20. Red Dead Redemption II

* Indicates that some or all digital sales are not included in Circana’s data. Some publishers, including Nintendo, do not share certain digital data for this report.