Recent figures from Circana, shared by industry analyst Mat Piscatella, indicate that the U.S. video game market reached approximately $4.9 billion in October 2025. This represents a three percent increase compared to October 2024, driven by a strong combination of mobile spending, the growth of subscription services, and a significant rise in hardware sales. Key factors contributing to this month’s performance included the launch of Battlefield 6, sales for the Switch 2, and heightened consumer interest in portable PC gaming devices.
Hardware spending surged to $351 million, representing a significant 36% increase compared to last year. Most of this growth can be attributed to the Nintendo Switch 2, which sold 328,000 units during the month. Data indicates that the console is selling 68% faster than the original Switch did during its launch period and is even 3% ahead of the early sales pace of the PlayStation 4. Other systems, such as the Xbox Series and PlayStation 5, experienced a decline in sales compared to the previous year; however, the impressive sales of the Switch 2 were sufficient to elevate the overall category. Additionally, ASUS’s portable PC devices continued to gain popularity, with spending nearly five times higher than in October 2024, marking a 30% increase for the year thus far.
Content spending reached $4.4 billion, reflecting a modest one percent increase. Growth in mobile content, which rose by ten percent according to Sensor Tower data, along with a nine percent increase in subscription services, helped offset declines in other areas. A significant highlight in premium game sales was the immediate success of Battlefield 6. The title launched as the best-selling game of October and has quickly become the top-selling premium release of 2025 on U.S. charts. It leads on both Xbox and PC storefronts and ranks second on PlayStation, trailing only behind NBA 2K26.
| Rank | Last Month Rank | Title | Publisher |
| 1 | NEW | Battlefield 6 | Electronic Arts |
| 2 | NEW | Pokemon Legends: Z-A | Nintendo |
| 3 | 4 | Ghost of Yotei | Sony (Corp) |
| 4 | 2 | NBA 2K26 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 5 | 3 | EA Sports FC 26 | Electronic Arts |
| 6 | 5 | Madden NFL 26 | Electronic Arts |
| 7 | NEW | The Outer Worlds 2 | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 8 | NEW | Little Nightmares III | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| 9 | 9 | Digimon Story: Time Stranger | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| 10 | 1 | Borderlands 4 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 11 | NEW | Ninja Gaiden 4 | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 12 | 12 | EA Sports College Football 26 | Electronic Arts |
| 13 | 14 | Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Nintendo |
| 14 | 10 | Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles | Square Enix Inc (Corp) |
| 15 | 8 | Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | Sega |
| 16 | 7 | Silent Hill: f | Konami Digital Ent. |
| 17 | 15 | Minecraft | Multiple Video Game Publishers |
| 18 | 6 | Helldivers II | Sony (Corp) |
| 19 | 17 | Grand Theft Auto V | Take-Two Interactive |
| 20 | 20 | Red Dead Redemption II | Take-Two Interactive |
Battlefield 6 set a new record for full game dollar sales in a single month, surpassing all releases from the past three years. It launched as the strongest title in the franchise’s history, with its first month’s sales exceeding the lifetime U.S. sales of Battlefield 1, the previous record holder.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A earned second place for the month and was the best-selling title on Nintendo platforms, becoming the top physical release of the year. Other new entries in the market included The Outer Worlds 2, Little Nightmares III, and Ninja Gaiden 4, all of which secured spots in the top twenty.
The full top twenty ranking for October highlights the significant impact of the Battlefield 6 launch. It also confirms that long-running hits like Ghost of Yotei, Madden NFL 26, and Minecraft continue to perform well. The combination of major new game releases, unexpectedly strong console sales, and an increase in mobile gaming has made October one of the busiest months of the year for the U.S. gaming industry. With November and December typically being the strongest months, the sector is entering the holiday season with positive momentum.
