Updated
Updated · VGChartz · Jun 26
Switch 2, 007 First Light Lift May US Game Spending 3% to $4.18 Billion
Updated
Updated · VGChartz · Jun 26

Switch 2, 007 First Light Lift May US Game Spending 3% to $4.18 Billion

3 articles · Updated · VGChartz · Jun 26

Summary

  • $4.18 billion in US video game spending for May rose 3% year over year, with Circana citing Nintendo's Switch 2 and debut hit 007 First Light as the main drivers.
  • Switch 2 led May console sales by both units and dollars, while its US lifetime sales reached 5.9 million in 12 months—second only to Game Boy Advance's 6.5 million pace.
  • Hardware spending jumped 38% to $239 million even as rival consoles weakened: PS5 ranked second but dollar sales fell 43% and units 58%, while Xbox Series X|S posted record-low May unit sales.
  • 007 First Light debuted at No. 1 for May and already ranks fourth for 2026 year-to-date, setting the biggest launch-month dollar sales ever for a James Bond game.
  • Through May, 2026 US game spending is up 4% to $23.0 billion, with hardware sales surging 37% to $1.58 billion and content spending rising 3% to $20.43 billion.

Insights

While a chip crisis sinks its rivals, how did Nintendo's Switch 2 achieve the second-fastest launch in US history?
With the AI boom pushing console prices to historic highs, is the era of affordable gaming hardware officially over?