US hardware sales rose 69% in March 2026 following strong Switch 2 performance | US Monthly Charts
US video game hardware sales surged 69% year-over-year in March 2026, reaching $500 million compared to $297 million in March 2025, according to market research firm Circana. The total consumer spending jump was driven primarily by strong Nintendo Switch 2 performance, which led both unit and dollar sales for the month and maintained its position as the year-to-date leader.
The Switch 2’s market dominance reflects its exceptional sales trajectory since launch. The console achieved unit sales 12% higher than the original Switch during its first 10 months on the market and remains the fastest-selling hardware platform in Circana’s tracked history, which dates back to 1995.
PlayStation 5 finished second for March 2026 in both unit and dollar sales, though the platform achieved modest year-over-year growth with a 3% sales increase compared to March 2025. The broader video game market also showed strength beyond hardware, with total consumer spending increasing 12% to $5.3 billion and content spending growing 8% to $4.5 billion. First quarter 2026 spending rose 5% year-on-year to $14.6 billion, demonstrating continued market momentum early in the year.
The strong hardware performance suggests renewed consumer interest in console gaming, with the Switch 2 establishing itself as a major commercial success in the current console generation.