Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Jun 26
Xbox, PlayStation Post Worst May Unit Sales as Hardware Prices Jump to $502
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Jun 26

Xbox, PlayStation Post Worst May Unit Sales as Hardware Prices Jump to $502

3 articles · Updated · Kotaku · Jun 26

Summary

  • Circana said May 2026 was Xbox’s worst May ever for U.S. hardware unit sales, while PlayStation logged its weakest May since 2000.
  • Average new-console prices rose 14% year over year to $502, with PS5 up 33% to $672 and Xbox Series up 22% to $524, helping drive the unit slump.
  • Xbox showed mixed results as hardware spending still rose 7% despite a 12% drop in units; PlayStation fared worse, with spending down 43% and unit sales down 58%.
  • Nintendo’s Switch 2 led May in both units and dollar sales, reached 5.9 million U.S. sales in its first year, and trails only the Game Boy Advance’s 6.5 million pace.
  • Software held up better than hardware, with U.S. game spending up 1% and 007 First Light debuting as May’s top-selling title.

Insights

Why is blockbuster software thriving while the consoles needed to play it are selling at historic lows?
Are Sony and Microsoft's price hikes a fatal miscalculation or a strategic pivot to a future without traditional consoles?
With console prices soaring, is the future of gaming no longer in a box but entirely in the cloud?