The video game console landscape in the United States is shifting dramatically. According to a new report from Circana, the Nintendo Switch 2 has achieved a remarkable milestone in its first 12 months on the market, becoming the second fastest-selling console in US tracked history. However, the same report highlights a steep decline for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, hurt by recent price hikes.
Switch 2 sells 5.9 million units in the US in 12 months
Nintendo Switch 2 sold 5.9 million units by the end of its first year in the United States, placing it just behind the Game Boy Advance, which sold 6.5 million units. This makes the Switch 2 the second fastest-selling gaming hardware ever in the US market. In May 2026 alone, the console was the best-selling platform in both units and dollars, contributing to a 38% year-over-year increase in overall gaming hardware spending, reaching $249 million.
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PS5 and Xbox Series suffer worst May on record for hardware sales
Despite Nintendo's success, the picture for other manufacturers is grim. Sony saw PS5 spending drop 43% and unit sales fall 58% compared to May 2025, pushing PlayStation hardware sales to their lowest May level since 2000. Microsoft saw a 7% increase in Xbox Series spending, but unit sales declined 12%, hitting the lowest May figure ever recorded. To offset losses, Microsoft announced a price increase for Xbox Series X and S effective August 1, 2026: $100 more for 512 GB models and $150 for 1 TB models, alongside discontinuing the 2 TB model due to the ongoing memory crisis. These price hikes echo similar moves by Apple, which recently raised prices on Mac, iPad, and Vision Pro, resulting in a 6% stock drop (read more).
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For more details on the Nintendo Switch 2, visit the Wikipedia page.
