Nearly four years after their release, the current generation of Sony and Microsoft consoles failed to meet expectations. Part of the reason is their difficult launch during the pandemic, combined with development process challenges. Both hardware platforms are unlikely to recover for the remainder of their life cycle, a fact acknowledged by the companies themselves. However, the sales decline has now reached alarming levels.
PS5 Sales Dropped 45% While Xbox Series X|S Plummeted by 54%
Mat Piscatella, Circana analyst, shared the report on the best-selling video games and consoles in the U.S. for September 2024, and the hardware sector brings no good news. Overall, console sales fell 44% compared to September 2023, with revenue reaching $251 million, marking the lowest point since September 2019 when $242 million was generated. Additionally, looking at console sales in the U.S. so far this year, players spent 30% less on these systems.
Regarding individual console performance, there’s more bad news. Xbox Series X|S saw the biggest drop, with sales down 54%. Meanwhile, PS5 wasn't far behind, with a 45% drop compared to the same month in 2023.
Nintendo Switch also saw a 23% drop, but as it's in the final stage of its life cycle, its long-standing commercial success keeps its numbers from being as shocking.
Despite these poor results, PS5 remained the best-selling console in both units and dollars last month, followed by Xbox Series X|S, with the Nintendo hybrid system in third place.
While the holiday season 2024 is around the corner, no major sales increases are expected for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It's likely their sales will get a boost from special sales periods and the release of new models, such as the PS5 Pro for Sony and the digital Xbox Series X, alongside new releases for Xbox Series S from Microsoft.
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