Video game hardware sales are reaching new heights in the U.S., according to Circana, but this growth is partly due to higher prices—units now cost 12% more on average than last year.
Circana's August report reveals a 32% year-over-year increase in hardware spending, driven by strong sales of the Nintendo Switch 2, which helped balance double-digit declines for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and the original Switch. Currently, Nintendo Switch 2 sales are tracking 77% higher than the Switch 1 during the same period after launch.
As analyst Mat Piscatella shared on Bluesky, "With 2.4 million units sold life-to-date in its first three months, the Nintendo Switch 2 has exceeded the record-setting pace of the PlayStation 4, which sold 2.2 million units in the three months ending January 2014."
Circana also notes that year-to-date hardware spending has risen 20% compared to the previous year, with unit sales up 6.5%. However, this doesn't mean people are buying more consoles—the average selling price per unit has increased by 12.3%, reaching $453.
Piscatella added, "Yes, hardware performance is strong this year, largely thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2, but higher prices are the main driver behind the growth in total spending."
August was a standout month for sports titles. NBA 2K26 claimed the top spot overall and led sales on PlayStation and Xbox, becoming the fifth best-selling game of the year so far. Madden NFL 26 followed in second place, now ranking tenth for the year, and also featured in two popular bundles: the EA Sports MVP Bundle (No. 8 in August) and the EA Sports Kickoff Bundle (debuting at No. 9).
Other notable new releases 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. Although Gears of War: Reloaded did not make the overall top-sellers list, it debuted at No. 6 on PlayStation and No. 8 on PC.
Significant chart movements included Helldivers II, which climbed from No. 25 to No. 14. Piscatella noted he is working to verify Helldivers II Xbox sales figures, as the title does not currently appear in Xbox charts. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Hinokami Chronicles 2 jumped from No. 24 to No. 10, likely because its August 1 release date meant most sales were captured in August tracking (which began August 3). Kirby and the Forgotten Land also saw a surge, moving from No. 36 to No. 6 on Nintendo Switch charts, possibly due to the new Star-Crossed World upgrade pack for Switch 2.
Overall, content spending rose 11% in August, reaching $4.2 billion.
For accessories, the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller was the best-selling item both in units and dollars for August and the year to date.
Total spending on games increased 11% year-over-year to $4.7 billion, largely fueled by NBA 2K26, the Nintendo Switch 2, and growth in mobile gaming.
August 2025 U.S. Top 20 Best-Selling Games:
NBA 2K26 (NEW)Madden NFL 26 (NEW)Mafia: The Old Country (NEW)Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (NEW)EA Sports College Football 26Gears of War: ReloadedDonkey Kong BananzaEA Sports MVP Bundle (2025)EA Sports Kickoff Bundle (2025) (NEW)Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Hinokami Chronicles 2Minecraft*Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Grand Theft Auto VHelldivers IIForza Horizon 5Grounded 2WWE 2K25Hogwarts LegacyStory of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (NEW)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.
