Both Sony and Microsoft had an extremely weak May, while Nintendo shrugs and keeps marching on.
The Nintendo Switch 2 continued to sell well, contributing to revenue growth compared to May 2025. In the United States, it sold 5.9 million units in its first 12 months, making it the second fastest-selling Nintendo console in the country’s history. It trails only the Game Boy Advance, which sold 6.5 million units in its first 12 months. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation posted their worst May hardware sales results in 26 years, and the Xbox recorded its worst May performance ever.Nintendo and PlayStation continue to hold first and second place, swapping positions monthly, while Xbox sometimes doesn’t reach third.PlayStation saw a 43% decline in hardware spending, and PlayStation 5 unit sales fell 58% compared to May 2025.
Hardware – May 2026 hardware spending grew 38% versus a year ago, to $249M. Nintendo Switch 2 offset a 43% drop in PlayStation 5 spending (and a 58% dip in unit sales) driven by recent price increases. Xbox Series hardware spending grew 7% versus a year ago, units fell by 12%.
— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) June 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Overall spending on gaming hardware in the United States was 38% higher than in May of last year, but this is due to steadily rising console prices.The Switch 2 price increase has not yet taken effect, but the most recent PlayStation price increase took effect in April.The last Xbox Series price increase, which is set to take effect on August 1, contributed to Xbox posting spending growth despite lower unit sales.Xbox recorded its lowest sales figures ever in May.Both PlayStation and Xbox posted their lowest hardware sales figures ever in May, but only one stands out as an outlier while the other appears to be business as usual.
May 2026 U.S. Projected Top 10 Best-Selling Games Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales (Excludes Mobile and Digital Add-On Content)
— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) June 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM
The clear winner among the month’s best-selling games was 007: First Light, followed by Forza Horizon 6, Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, and Subnautica 2. However, the figures for Subnautica 2 and Forza Horizon 6 are based on digital sales forecasts rather than actual data, unlike the other titles. Currently, 007 First Light ranks fourth on the list of the best-selling games in the United States in 2026. Forza Horizon 6 is right behind it in fifth place. The top three spots are held by Resident Evil Requiem, Crimson Desert, and MLB The Show 26. Lego Batman also made it onto the year-to-date top 10 list, ranking seventh. Since 007 First Light, Forza Horizon 6, and Lego Batman are new to the year-to-date top 10, Minecraft, Arc Raiders, and NBA 2K26 dropped out between April and May.
YTD 2026 U.S. Projected Top 10 Best-Selling Games Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales (Excludes Mobile and Digital Add-On Content)
— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) June 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Despite PlayStation and Xbox recording their lowest-ever hardware sales figures in May, the U.S. gaming industry grew this month. Total spending reached $4.2 billion, a 3% increase compared to May 2025. Total spending on hardware increased due to higher prices, while spending on software rose 1% compared to May 2025, reaching $3.8 billion. This growth was primarily driven by software sales on consoles rather than PCs.
Source: WCCFTech
