
Key Takeaways
Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark
- Video game console hardware sales in the US declined by 13% compared to May 2024, with accessory sales also experiencing a drop of 6%. Despite these declines, total consumer spending on video games increased by 1%.
- The PlayStation 5 maintained its lead in US sales for May 2025, increasing by 3% in both units and value compared to the same period last year. Conversely, Xbox Series X|S sales dropped by 30%, while Nintendo Switch sales saw an even steeper decline of 44%.
- Elden Ring: Nightreign was the top-selling game for May, with PlayStation 5 shipments reaching 77.8 million units globally as of March 31, 2025. However, quarterly shipments for the period dipped to 2.8 million, down from 4.5 million in the same fiscal quarter last year.
- In terms of lifetime sales in the Americas as of May 2025, the Nintendo Switch leads with 56.82 million units, followed by the PlayStation 5 with 30.88 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S at 20.41 million units.
Decline in US Video Game Console Hardware Sales (May 2025) – PlayStation 5 Leads in Units and Dollars
Video game console hardware sales in the US continued a five-month decline in May 2025, dropping 13% compared to the same period last year, from $197 million in May 2024 to $172 million in May 2025, according to Circana. For the first five months of 2025, hardware sales were down 26% compared to the first five months of 2024. Accessory sales also decreased, falling 6% from $165 million in May 2024 to $154 million in May 2025. Cumulatively, accessory sales declined 12% over the first five months of the year. Despite these declines, total consumer spending on video game hardware, content, and accessories combined grew 1% year-over-year, reaching $4.1 billion, as reported by Circana’s Mat Piscatella. The PlayStation 5 DualSense Midnight Black wireless controller was the bestselling accessory in the United States for May, leading in both units and dollars. Among individual consoles, the PlayStation 5 maintained its lead in US sales for May 2025, increasing 3% in both units and value compared to May 2024. Conversely, Xbox Series X|S sales dropped 30%, while Nintendo Switch sales saw an even steeper 44% decline, ahead of its anticipated successor, the Switch 2.
US Quarterly PlayStation 5 Shipments Decline in Q2 2025 amidst Strong Game Sales Leadership
Mat Piscatella reported that Elden Ring: Nightreign took the top spot on the multiplatform game charts for May, followed by DOOM: The Dark Ages, Forza Horizon 5, a remastered version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Globally, PlayStation 5 shipments reached 77.8 million units as of March 31, 2025. However, quarterly shipments for that period dipped to 2.8 million, down from 4.5 million in the same fiscal quarter last year. Estimated console unit sales across America, Canada, and Latin America for May 2025, compiled by gaming enthusiast and author William DAngelo from VGChartz data, show the PlayStation 5 leading with approximately 269,735 units sold. The Nintendo Switch followed with about 88,067 units, and the Xbox Series X|S took third place with 86,189 units. Regarding lifetime sales in the Americas as of May 2025, the Nintendo Switch leads with 56.82 million units. The PlayStation 5 follows with 30.88 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S stands at 20.41 million units.
In Case You Missed It
Exciting news for fans of the Persona series: Carlos Mendoza’s latest piece, “Persona 4 Revival will feature menus and subtitles in Brazilian Portuguese,” published on July 9, 2025, delves into the upcoming localization updates for the highly anticipated remake. Discover how this game is set to bring a more immersive experience with its Brazilian Portuguese menu support, despite audio limitations. Dive deeper into the details of Persona 4 Revival’s release plans and localization efforts at Persona 4 Revival will feature menus and subtitles in Brazilian Portuguese. For all you PlayStation enthusiasts out there, make sure to mark your calendars for the highly anticipated arrival of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl on PS5. Ahmed Hassan delves into this exciting news in his latest piece from July 9th, discussing everything from the game’s new trailer and DualSense integration to the challenges faced by its developers during production. Head over to our blog post (Stalker 2 Arrives on PlayStation 5 by End of 2025) to learn more about this thrilling addition to the PlayStation lineup! For all you pirates out there eagerly awaiting the next chapter of adventures in Sea of Thieves, be sure to mark your calendars for this Thursday at 15:00. Bruno Pferd dives into the details of Rare’s groundbreaking online event, the first-ever Sea of Thieves Community Direct stream (published on July 9, 2025), where they will unveil plans for the next two seasons and more exciting updates to come. From changes to the Insider Program to a highly anticipated new feature in development, this event promises to shed light on Rare’s vision for the game’s future despite recent challenges at Microsoft. Don’t miss out—swim over to Sea of Thieves Future Unveiled After Restructuring at Rare and Microsoft to catch all the exciting news!
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Links to external sources for further reading
- PS5 Best-Seller, XS and NS Have Worst Month Yet - Americas Hardware Estimates for May 2025 - Saleshttps://www.vgchartz.com/article/465172/ps5-best-seller-xs-and-ns-have-worst-month-yet-americas-hardware-estimates-for-may-2025/
- Sales for the Nintendo Switch also dropped by a whopping 44 percent year-over-year in the region ahead of its successor's launch.https://gamingbolt.com/ps5-was-the-best-selling-console-in-the-us-for-may-xbox-series-x-s-sales-drop-by-30-percent
- PS5 Ranked As May 2025’s Best-Selling Hardware In The US In Both Units & Dollarshttps://www.psu.com/news/ps5-ranked-as-may-2025s-best-selling-hardware-in-the-us-in-both-units-dollars/
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