Switch 2 tops US hardware charts in May as PS5 and Xbox record their worst May sales figures in decades

New data from Circana reveals the Nintendo Switch 2 dominated US hardware and software sales in May 2026, while PlayStation and Xbox both posted historically low unit figures for the month.

The details:

• The Switch 2 was the best-selling console in the US in May by both units and dollar sales, with lifetime US sales now sitting at 5.9 million units through its first 12 months - making it the second fastest-selling console in tracked US history, behind only the Game Boy Advance which sold 6.5 million in the same window.
• PS5 hardware unit sales fell 58% year-on-year, hitting their lowest May total since May 2000 - more than two decades ago. Dollar sales were down 43%, with the average PS5 price rising 33% to $672. Xbox Series X|S unit sales hit their lowest ever May figure, down 12% year-on-year, though dollar sales were up 7% on the back of higher average prices.
• The overall US market grew 3% year-on-year to $4.18 billion, with hardware spending up 38% to $239 million - largely driven by Switch 2. Year-to-date spending is running 4% ahead of 2025 at $23 billion.
• On the software side, 007: First Light debuted at number one, recording the highest launch month dollar sales of any James Bond game ever. Forza Horizon 6 came in second, followed by LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight in third and Subnautica 2 in fourth.
• The data arrives days after Microsoft announced a further Xbox Series X/S price increase effective August 1, which is likely to add further pressure to Xbox hardware unit sales in the coming months.