PS5 sales in the US declined by just 6% year over year in July 2026, according to Circana data shared by analyst Mat Piscatella. The relatively small decline came despite a major contraction in the wider hardware market and rising console prices.
Xbox Series unit sales fell 18% compared with July 2025, while Nintendo Switch 2 sales dropped 51%. The PS5 therefore recorded the smallest unit decline among the three current-generation platforms during the month.
The broader US video game hardware market had a particularly weak July, with spending falling 29% year over year to $282 million. It was the lowest July total since 2020, when hardware spending reached $163 million.
Consumers also purchased 39% fewer hardware units overall. At the same time, the average selling price of a new video game system reached $542, representing a 16% increase from July 2025.
PS5 Leads Hardware Spending
Despite the decline in unit sales, PS5 remained the leading console in terms of hardware dollar sales during July. Nintendo Switch 2 continued to lead in unit sales, highlighting the significant difference in average selling prices between the platforms.
The comparison with Switch 2 is also affected by the timing of Nintendo’s console launch. Switch 2 released in June 2025, making July 2025 an unusually strong period for the system.
Despite its 51% year-over-year unit decline, Nintendo’s console remains ahead of the original Switch when comparing equivalent periods after launch. According to the data, Switch 2 is tracking 11% ahead of its predecessor after 14 months on the market.
US Gaming Market Also Declines
The weakness in hardware formed part of a broader decline across the US video game market. Total consumer spending on games, hardware and accessories reached $4.528 billion in July, down 10% from $5.037 billion a year earlier.
Video game content spending fell 9% to $4.068 billion, while accessories declined 6% to $178 million. Mobile spending was the largest contributor to the decline in content, although console and PC spending also decreased.
The software market still produced several strong performances. Call of Duty: Black Ops II topped the July physical and full-game digital sales chart following its release on PS4 and PS5. EA Sports College Football 27 ranked second, followed by Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced in third.
EA Sports MVP Bundle (2026) placed fourth, while Call of Duty: Black Ops reached fifth after also receiving PS4 and PS5 versions. Halo: Campaign Evolved debuted at sixth.
If EA Sports College Football 27 and the EA Sports MVP Bundle had been counted together, their combined sales would have placed them at the top of the July chart.
The PS5’s 6% unit decline therefore stands out against a market where hardware purchases fell by nearly two-fifths. With console prices increasing and component costs continuing to put pressure on manufacturers, the coming months will show whether Sony can maintain this relative resilience.
