It's been a tough holiday season for video game equipment still. Analytics firm Circana released its November report on Wednesday. showing rising prices and sales of consoles on their worst moment in decades.
The average price of a new piece of video game hardware has risen from about $235 in 2019 to $439 in 2025, according to Circana director Matt Piscatella. video game expenses, which dropped to $5.9 billionwhich is 4% less than last year’s $6.1 billion.
These are unfavorable numbers considering that November usually brings good results due to Black Friday sales and many people wait until this time of year to buy big-ticket items. game consoles. Hardware prices may have made this less feasible, especially for consoles. Overall, equipment spending fell to $695 million, the lowest level since 2005.
Never miss any of our unbiased technical content and behind-the-lab reviews. Add CNET as Google's preferred source.
Reports indicate that sales of Microsoft's Xbox series consoles fell by 70% compared to last year, while Sony's PlayStation 5, which remained the best-selling console of the month, fell by 40%. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Meanwhile, sales fell just 10%, with video game accessories overall down 13%.
According to Circana, the top-selling video games in November 2025 included Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6. The top games also include longtime favorites like Minecraft and Red Dead Redemption II, as well as new releases like Ghost of Yotei and The Outer Worlds 2.
A Circana representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Will video game costs ever fall?
If you're waiting for the prices of consoles and other hardware to start dropping, you might want to reconsider your decision. Experts expect rising cost of RAM in recent months and will continue into next year. This will likely lead to even higher prices for all gaming consoles in the future.
If you're planning on purchasing expensive video game hardware, we suggest taking advantage of holiday discounts whenever possible. The situation is unlikely to improve in 2026.
When it comes to physical video game media, such as game discs, it's harder to judge. As gamers focus on digital purchases, now may be the time search for physical gamesas they will likely remain in stock due to low sales volumes this year.
