U.S. Video Game Sales Up 1% in May, Subscription Spending Surges

US video game content sales rose 2% in May, reaching $4.05B, compared to $4.03B in the same month last year. Total sales for the year are down 6%. Circana reported that non-mobile subscription spending surged, contributing to the growth in sales.

US video game content sales rose 2% in May 2025, reaching $4.05 billion, compared to $4.03 billion in the same month last year. This growth was driven by a 29% increase in non-mobile subscription spending, according to a report from Circana [2]. Despite this month's improvement, total sales for the year are down 6%, highlighting a broader trend of declining sales.

The report also indicated that hardware sales were down 13% at $172 million for the month, while accessory sales saw a 6% decline from the prior year to $154 million. So far this year, overall US sales were $21.84 billion, compared to $23.32 billion in 2024 [2].

PlayStation 5 (NYSE: SONY) sales rose 3% year-on-year, while Xbox Series (NASDAQ: MSFT) spending declined by 30% and Nintendo Switch (OTCPK: NTDOY) spending fell 44% [2]. Elden Ring: Nightreign was the best-selling game of the month and the 11th best-selling game of 2025 year-to-date, further highlighting the strength of content sales.

The increase in subscription spending is a significant factor in the growth of content sales. Gaming subscriptions reached an all-time high in May 2025, with spending totaling $0.6 billion, marking its third consecutive month of growth [3]. Xbox Game Pass, a key service contributing to this growth, has seen mixed results in console sales, with Xbox Series X|S sales down 30% compared to May 2024 [3].

The video game industry in the United States continues to evolve, with increased internet accessibility and technological advancements driving players towards multiplayer games, social networking games, and mobile games. Mobile games accounted for 51% of the revenue of the games market worldwide, ahead of both console games and downloaded or boxed PC games [4].

In conclusion, while May 2025 saw a significant increase in content sales, the broader trend of declining sales for the year remains a concern. The rise in subscription spending, particularly in non-mobile areas, offers a promising avenue for growth, but the industry must continue to adapt to the changing preferences of consumers.

References:
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/PS5/comments/1lvigl3/ps5_was_the_bestselling_console_in_the_us_for_may/
[2] https://seekingalpha.com/news/4466239-us-video-game-content-sales-up-2-in-may-as-non-mobile-subscription-spending-surges
[3] https://www.purexbox.com/news/2025/07/gaming-subscriptions-reach-all-time-high-but-xbox-series-xs-sales-suffer-in-may-2025-analysis-us
[4] https://www.statista.com/statistics/201073/revenue-of-the-us-video-game-industry-by-segment/