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INDUSTRY RANKING
Data Spotlight
July 2026 Spending (USD, Millions)
Total: $4,528 (-10% vs YA)
Content: $4,068 (-9%)
Hardware: $282 (-29%)
Accessories: $178 (-6%)
U.S. Video Game Spending Dropped 10% in July Despite Debut of Several Hit New Releases
U.S. video game spending across content, hardware and accessories fell 10% in July when compared to a year ago, to $4.5 billion. Mobile was the biggest driver of the overall decline, with both Console and PC content also dropping year-on-year (mobile spending provided by Sensor Tower). New physical software dollar sales dipped to an all-time July low of $85 million (since tracking began in 1995), while hardware spending fell to a low not seen since July 2020, when pandemic-fueled sellouts and logistics challenges made finding new video game hardware to buy extremely difficult. Subscription spending was the only category showing growth in July versus a year ago (+6%).
The market comparables continue to be impacted by the record-setting June 2025 launch of Nintendo Switch 2. However, the challenges extend far beyond simple cyclicality. Higher hardware prices driven by the RAM and component crisis have significantly impacted the selling rates of both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, with a price hike for Nintendo Switch 2 hardware coming on September 1st, 2026.
On the software side, Sony announced it would cease production of physical software for new games effective January 2028. For the 2026 year-to-date period, sales of physical software for PlayStation hardware accounted for 32% of total US consumer spending on new physical games. 63% of year-to-date spending on new physical software went to games made for Nintendo platforms.
Hardware Key Takeaways
July video game hardware spending fell 29% when compared to a year ago, to $282 million, the lowest total for a July month since 2020 ($163 million).
Total hardware unit sales fell 39% versus July 2025, while the average selling price of a new unit of video game hardware jumped by 16%, to $542.
Unit sales were down on all console platforms when compared to a year ago. PlayStation 5 unit sales fell 6% versus July 2025, while Xbox Series dropped 18% and Switch 2 declined by 51%.
PlayStation 5 led the July hardware market in dollar sales, with Nintendo Switch 2 leading in units sold during the month.
With 14 months in market, Nintendo Switch 2 is 11% ahead of the time-aligned sales pace of the original Nintendo Switch.
Content Key Takeaways
Total content spending fell 9% in July when compared to a year ago, to $4.1 billion. A decline in mobile spending was the primary driver of the drop, with lower Console and PC content spending also contributing.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II was projected as the best-selling game of July in dollar sales, driven by the release of a PlayStation port supporting PS4 and PS5. Call of Duty: Black Ops also received a PS4/PS5 port in the month and ranked 5th overall.
EA Sports College Football 27 was July’s #2 individual title in full game dollar sales. However, were sales of EA Sports College Football 27 and the EA Sports MVP Bundle (2026) combined it would have taken the top spot on the monthly best-sellers chart.
In Mobile content, Sensor Tower reports that the top 10 mobile games in July consumer spending and the change from June as: MONOPOLY GO!, Royal Match, Pokémon Go (+10), Candy Crush Saga (-1), Gossip Harbor (-1), Kingshot (-1), Township (+1), Garena Free Fire (+2), Whiteout Survival (-2) and Last War: Survival (-4).
“Pokémon GO was the biggest mover, climbing to third during its 10th anniversary month,” said Bryan Isagholian of Sensor Tower. “Niantic ran boosted XP events, anniversary-themed Pokémon, and follow-up events through July, alongside larger real-world activations like GO Fest and a Times Square Mega Mewtwo raid. Revenue rose +230% month-over-month.”
Accessories Key Takeaways
July accessories spending decreased by 6% when compared to a year ago, to $178 million. This is the lowest July total for accessories spending since 2019 ($144 million).
Racing Controller spending fell 26% compared to a year ago, while Cases & Organizers dollar sales increased by 36% versus July 2025.
Source: Circana Games Market Dynamics,
July, 2026
Data Source:
Point of Sale (POS) Data
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Questions Circana’s Video Game Solutions Can Help Developers Answer:
What are the best-performing video games in 2026?
Circana tracks the top 10 best-selling video games and provides key insights into consumer spending across categories. Circana helps developers and retailers understand the “why” behind consumer decisions and identify what strategies led to the success of the most popular games.
How is the video game industry evolving in 2026?
The video game industry has the potential to reach a new high in consumer spending in 2026, thanks in part to the release of new hardware, player demand, and the prevalence of subscription pricing models. Circana tracks consumer behavior across generations as well as key industry shifts like the increased production costs for console hardware caused by the driven demand for RAM, GPUs, CPUs, and storage from AI data centers. These factors will all play a large role in consumer spending and preferences throughout 2026.
How are consumers shifting their spending behavior within the video game industry?
Amidst serious macroeconomic factors, consumers report a desire to play more free-to-play games and may be more likely to wait for sales and promotional pricing for new releases instead of buying them at full price during their initial launch.
What opportunities are there within the video game industry?
Demand for PC/mobile games is rising, especially among younger players, and amidst concerns surrounding increased pricing for consoles due to tariffs and limited manufacturing resources. Likewise, the demand for peripherals and accessories remains strong. Moreover, as many consumers are interested in free-to-play games, there are increased opportunities for in-game monetization strategies.
