Xbox Series X/S Sales Lag Behind Xbox One in the US, While PS5 Surges Past PS4
By Four years following its launch, Xbox Series X/S sales in the US are lagging behind those of its predecessor, Xbox One, at the same stage within the consoles’ lifespan. In contrast, PlayStation 5 sales are currently significantly outpacing those of PlayStation 4.
This information comes from sales analysis provided by the market research and technology firm Circana (previously known as The NPD Group) in its latest monthly report. Circana’s executive director and gaming industry analyst Mat Piscatella compiled the company’s findings—spanning US gaming and hardware expenditures through December 2024—in a detailed post on Bluesky (thanks to VGC).
Commenting on some of the report’s key takeaways, Piscatella noted, “During each console’s initial 50 months in the US market (life to date ending December 2024 for both Xbox Series X/S and PS5), PS5’s lifetime unit sales are 7 percent ahead of PS4’s pace, while Xbox Series X/S is trailing Xbox One by 18 percent.” By comparison, Piscatella observed, “After 38 months in the US (up to December 2023), PS5 led PS4 by 6 percent while Xbox Series X/S lagged behind Xbox One by 13 percent.”
Circana’s 2024 year-end report indicates what Piscatella referred to as a “challenging” year for gaming hardware, with consumer spending declining by 29 percent compared to the previous year. On a more detailed level, spending on PS5 hardware dropped by 18 percent (though it remained the best-selling platform in December), while Series X/S and Switch experienced a decline of 38 percent. This decrease, however, was deemed “anticipated” by Piscatella, considering Switch’s considerable time in the market, and both PS5 and Series X/S having “passed their sales peaks.”
While specific hardware sales figures were not disclosed, Sony revealed last year, amidst falling year-on-year sales, that 61 million PS5 units have been sold since its debut in November 2020. Microsoft does not publicly share Xbox Series X/S sales data, but has previously acknowledged declines.