Are we prepared for ticket modern hardware?
- by Ben Kerry
Today, the analytics firm Circana (previously NPD) has disclosed some compelling information & data regarding the state of the gaming sector at the beginning of 2025 – and while recent reports on software sales have shed light on Microsoft’s situation, a look at the latest hardware sales indicates far more difficulties.
To clarify, the entire sector experienced a sluggish January concerning hardware – with Circana observing that “expenditures decreased by 45% compared to the previous year”. The firm also notes that “this marks the lowest January total for video game hardware spending since 2020”.
When examining individual declines in sales for each of the three major console manufacturers, the readings across the board are truly disheartening. PS5 sales have fallen by 38% year-on-year, Xbox Series X|S has seen a decrease of 50%, and the aging Nintendo Switch has dropped 53% compared to last year.
These figures from Circana only reflect the US market, as does the software sales chart we discussed earlier. However, it has been a similar narrative in other regions for Xbox recently – console sales are declining at a similar annual rate in Europe as well.
Thoughts on this, PXers? Share your opinions on this industry-wide sales decline below.
Ben is a News Writer at Pure Xbox, with a passion for action, racing, and straight-up shooter games on any Xbox title he can get his hands on. When he’s not gripping an Xbox controller as if his life depends on it, Ben enjoys listening to music that’s far too old for him, watching soccer on television, and possibly enjoying a drink somewhere.