The USA’s Spending on video games dropped 5% in January 2023

New data has revealed that spending across video game hardware and software has decreased by 5% within the United States in the first month of 2023 compared to January 2022.

The details:

• According to the NPD Group, consumers spent $4.3 billion on gaming hardware and software in January 2023, a 5% decrease from January last year. This is the first year-on-year sales decline seen in the United States since September 2022.
• Hardware sales saw very little increase, with $393 million in sales during January 2023 compared to $392 million last year. One notable difference was which console sold the most units, with Sony's PlayStation 5 (PS5) outselling the Nintendo Switch in both unit sales and revenue. The black version of the PS5's DualSense controller was also a best-seller in the accessory category, which saw a 14% drop after only generating $165 million, down from $191 million.
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was the region's best-selling game, followed by the new Dead Space remaster, Madden NFL 23, FIFA 23, and Nintendo's recent Fire Emblem Engage. Software and subscriptions account for 87% of video game sales, with games, DLCs, and subscription services accounting for $3.79 billion in sales. Despite the impressive sounding figure, this is a 5% decrease from the $4.01 billion in sales in January 2022.

What are the big three gaming companies working on?

• Sony will reportedly hold a State of Play event in March, followed by a larger showcase later ahead of E3. PlayStation has been absent from E3 since 2019, following reports of disagreements between Sony and the ESA. The showcase will feature the biggest reveals, with the State of Play only featuring "low-key" announcements and trailers.
• Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct last week, revealing a multitude of new titles and DLC, including Pikmin 4, Professor Layton, and a surprise release of Metroid Prime Remastered. You can read up on the event’s announcements here.
• Last month, Xbox held its first Developer_Direct event, revealing details about its upcoming titles Redfall, Minecraft Legends, and Forza Motorsport. The company will later hold a separate showcase for Bethesda’s RPG Starfield and also plans on hosting a summer showcase event around the same time as E3, which it will not be attending this year. You can check out our recap of the Developer_Direct here.