Console gaming statistics 2026: Market size, hardware & revenue

Console gaming generated $45.9 billion — the fastest-growing gaming segment at +5.5%. PS5 has sold 95 million units.

Oliver GrantUpdated:
console gaming statistics

Console gaming is the fastest-growing segment of the global games market in 2025. It generated $45.9 billion — up 5.5% year-on-year — the highest growth rate of any platform, driven by the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, higher software prices, and a strong release calendar. Console accounts for 24% of total gaming revenue. PlayStation 5 has sold 95 million units. Nintendo Switch 2 sold 19.86 million in its first fiscal year. Xbox Series X|S sits at approximately 35 million lifetime units with hardware sales collapsing in 2025. For broader market context, see our video game industry statistics. Here are the verified numbers.

Console gaming key statistics

  • $45.9 billion — console gaming revenue in 2025, up +5.5% YoY — fastest-growing platform (2025).
  • 24% — console’s share of the total $188.8B global games market in 2025.
  • +4.7% CAGR — forecast console growth 2025–2028, driven by GTA VI (2026) and Gen-10 consoles (2027).
  • 688 million players — console forecast by 2028.
  • 95 million units sold — PS5 as of June 30, 2026 Interactive Entertainment IR).
  • 19.86 million — Nintendo Switch 2 sold in its first fiscal year.
  • 7.66 million units — Nintendo Switch 2 lifetime in Americas alone as of June 2026.
  • ~35 million units — Xbox Series X|S lifetime.

Console gaming market

Console gaming generated $45.9 billion in 2025 — the fastest-growing gaming segment

(Source: Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2025, September 2025)

  • Console revenue in 2025: $45.9 billion, up 5.5% from 2024.
  • This makes console the fastest-growing platform in 2025, ahead of PC (+2.5%) and mobile (+2.9%).
  • Growth drivers: Nintendo Switch 2 launch (June 2025), higher software prices (GTA VI at $80, industry moving toward $70–80 standard), and a strong premium release calendar.
  • Console + PC combined: $85.8 billion (45% of total market) — Newzoo notes this underlines “the continued strength of premium platforms.”
  • Forecast: console will reach $206.5 billion total market by 2028 (console share rising with GTA VI 2026 and Gen-10 consoles in 2027).
Platform2025 RevenueShareYoY Growth
Mobile$103.0B55%+2.9%
Console$45.9B24%+5.5%
PC$39.9B21%+2.5%
Total$188.8B100%+3.4%

Console hardware sales

Nintendo Switch 2 sold 19.86 million in its first fiscal year — second-fastest US launch ever

(Source: Nintendo IR; IGN citing Circana; VGChartz Americas estimates)

  • Nintendo Switch 2 launched June 5, 2025.
  • 19.86 million units sold in FY2026 (Nintendo’s first fiscal year, April 2025–March 2026) (Nintendo IR).
  • 4.4 million units sold in the United States in 2025 — the fastest-selling console in US history (Circana via Reddit/IGN).
  • Finished its first 12 months as the second-fastest selling hardware in US history (IGN citing Circana).
  • Nintendo forecasts 16.5 million units in FY2027, reflecting expected natural slowdown after launch year.
  • Americas lifetime (as of June 2026): 7.66 million units (VGChartz).
  • YTD Americas 2026 (January–June): 2.21 million units — comfortably outselling PS5 (1.42M) and Xbox Series X|S (0.60M) in the same period.

PlayStation 5: 95 million units as of June 30, 2026

(Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment official business data, sonyinteractive.com)

  • PS5 lifetime sales: 95 million units as of June 30, 2026 (Sony IR).
  • FY2025 annual PS5 sales: 16.0 million — down from 20.8M peak in FY2023.
  • FY2026 Q1 (April–June 2026): 1.6 million — further deceleration.
  • PS5 is the fourth best-selling PlayStation console (behind PS2 at 160M, PS4 at 117M, original PS at 102M).
  • At current trajectory, PS5 is projected to finish at 135–145 million lifetime (SellCell forecast).

Xbox Series X|S: ~35 million lifetime — 2025 the worst Xbox hardware year ever

(Source: Tech Insider; VGChartz; Circana via Medium)

  • Xbox Series X|S lifetime: approximately 35 million units (Tech Insider; VGChartz tracked 33.68M as of September 2025).
  • 2025 annual sales: approximately 1.28 million units — worst in Xbox’s 25-year history (Circana).
  • US Xbox hardware sales declined 70% year-on-year in 2025.
  • Americas YTD 2026: 0.60 million units (January–June 2026, VGChartz) — less than 29% of PS5’s pace.
  • Microsoft’s multiplatform pivot is de-emphasising hardware exclusivity; Xbox Series X|S will almost certainly be the worst-selling Xbox generation.

Current-gen console comparison

ConsoleLaunchLifetime UnitsBest YearStatus
Nintendo Switch 2June 202519.86M (FY2026)FY2026: 19.86MActive, strong
PlayStation 5Nov 202095M (June 2026)FY2023: 20.8MActive, decelerating
Xbox Series X|SNov 2020~35MFY2022: ~12MActive, in steep decline

Console gaming players

688 million console players forecast by 2028 — Newzoo

(Source: Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2025)

  • Console players will steadily climb to 688 million by 2028 (Newzoo).
  • Total global gamers across all platforms: 3.6 billion in 2025, growing to ~3.9 billion by 2028 (Newzoo).
  • Console’s player base grows more slowly than PC (projected to surpass 1 billion for first time) and mobile (~3.1 billion).

Console gaming outlook

GTA VI (November 2026) and Gen-10 consoles (2027) are the next major catalysts

(Source: Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2025; Take-Two IR)

  • Newzoo specifically identifies GTA VI (November 19, 2026 launch) as a major console revenue driver for 2026.
  • Gen-10 consoles (PS6, next Xbox) are anticipated in 2027 — the next major hardware cycle catalyst.
  • Console growth (+4.7% CAGR 2025–2028) is expected to be the fastest among all platforms through 2028.
  • The shift toward value-driven strategies (higher software prices, fewer blockbuster titles) is the defining console market trend — volume declining, revenue per game increasing.

Console gaming historical milestones

  • 1977 — Atari 2600 launches; modern console era begins.
  • 1985 — Nintendo Entertainment System launches globally.
  • 2000 — PlayStation 2 launches; becomes best-selling console ever at 160M.
  • 2005 — Xbox 360 and PS3 introduce HD gaming; 7th generation begins.
  • 2013 — PS4 and Xbox One launch; 8th generation. PS4 sells 117M.
  • 2017 — Nintendo Switch launches; hybrid model disrupts the market.
  • November 2020 — PS5 and Xbox Series X|S launch; 9th generation.
  • March 2026 — Nintendo Switch final lifetime sales: 155.92 million (#2 all time).
  • June 2025 — Nintendo Switch 2 launches; 19.86M in first fiscal year.
  • 2025 — Console gaming: $45.9B, fastest-growing platform.
  • November 2026 — GTA VI launches; expected to drive record console spending.

Sources