UK video game hardware sales declined significantly in November, with all major console platforms posting year-on-year drops, according to data shared by industry analyst Christopher Dring. The figures point to a difficult month for the market, echoing similar trends previously reported in the United States.
Dring, Editor in Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, stated on social media that Nintendo console sales in the UK, combining Switch 2 and Switch 1, were down 19 percent year on year during November. PlayStation 5 sales experienced a much steeper decline, falling 57 percent compared to the same period last year, while Xbox hardware sales dropped by 78 percent. The data is based on NielsenIQ tracking, with Dring noting that Nex Playground hardware is not available in the UK and therefore not included.
Beyond hardware, Dring described November as a particularly challenging month for the broader games market. He noted that Battlefield REDSEC failed to make a meaningful impact, while player engagement for Call of Duty was lower in November than it had been in October. Console sales, he added, plunged across the board. Fortnite recorded a relatively decent month but still underperformed compared to 2024, while Anno 117 stood out as a strong performer in Europe.
These UK results closely align with trends seen in the United States during November 2025. According to Circana data covering spending through November 29, total U.S. video game spending reached $5.86 billion, representing a 4 percent year-over-year decline. The downturn was driven largely by hardware and accessories rather than software.
In the U.S., hardware spending fell 27 percent year on year to $695 million, while accessories declined 13 percent to $327 million. In contrast, software content spending increased by 1 percent to $4.84 billion, suggesting that players continued to buy games even as they reduced spending on new devices. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella summarized the situation by stating, “November 2025 U.S. Video Game Total Spending – Total projected spending across video game hardware, content and accessories fell 4% when compared to a year ago, to $5.9 billion. Hardware, accessory and console content declines drove the change.”
Piscatella also highlighted a longer-term shift in purchasing behavior, noting that the average price paid for new video game hardware rose from $235 in November 2019 to $439 in November 2025, while unit sales dropped from 3.9 million to 1.6 million over the same comparison period.
Taken together, the UK and U.S. data suggest a global slowdown in console hardware demand during November. While software performance remains comparatively stable, the steep decline in hardware sales across multiple regions indicates ongoing pressure from higher prices, longer console cycles, and more cautious consumer spending.
