US console market sees record lows for PlayStation and Xbox in May 2026

In May 2026, United States console sales fell sharply for the two dominant platforms. Sony’s PlayStation 5 recorded its worst May in units sold since 2000, with a 58% year‑on‑year decline, while Microsoft’s Xbox Series experienced its lowest May performance ever, down 12% from the previous year. Analysts attributed the slump to recent price hikes: the PS5 standard edition rose by $100 and the PS5 Pro by $150 in April, while Xbox had previously raised prices in 2025 and announced another global increase effective 1 August 2026. Despite the downturn, Nintendo’s Switch 2 emerged as the month’s best‑selling console, driving a 38% rise in overall hardware spend to $249 million.

Microsoft also confirmed a second price increase for August 2026, adding up to $150 to flagship models and discontinuing the 2 TB Xbox Series X variant, citing global component shortages linked to AI‑driven demand for memory. These developments highlight escalating costs across the console market and shifting consumer demand toward Nintendo’s offering.