State of the market
U.S. consumer spending on video game content, hardware and accessories fell 7% when compared to a year ago, to $5.9 billion. The decline was driven by a 24% drop in hardware spending and a 3% dip in content.
November video game content spending dropped 3% when compared to a year ago, to $4.6 billion. An 11% decline in Console & Portable Content spending was partially offset by 3% growth across each of the Mobile, Subscription, and 'PC, Cloud & Non-Console VR' Content segments. A primary driver of the year-on-year decline in Console & Portable Content was the comparable strength of the new release slate. November 2022 featured the launches of both God of War: Ragnarök and Pokémon: Scarlet/Violet.
Hardware
November video game hardware spending fell 24% when compared to a year ago, to $964 million. All current generation consoles experienced a double-digit percentage decline in dollar sales when compared to a year ago, with Nintendo Switch showing the sharpest drop year-on-year.
PlayStation 5 remained the best-selling hardware platform in both unit and dollar sales during November 2023. Xbox Series ranked 2nd across both measures. Year-to-date hardware spending fell 1% when compared to the same period in 2022, at $5.0 billion. PlayStation 5 remains the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars 2023 year-to-date, with Nintendo Switch placing 2nd across both measures.
PlayStation Portal debuted as the #4 best-selling hardware platform of November with the limited quantities available at launch selling out.
Software
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III was the best-selling game of November, instantly becoming the 2nd best-selling game of 2023 year-to-date. It is the 5th consecutive year that a Call of Duty title was November’s best-seller (Red Dead Redemption II ranked 1st in Nov 2018). According to Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, Call of Duty HQ (which includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III player activity) ranked 2nd in monthly active users across both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles during the month of November, trailing only Fortnite.
Hogwarts Legacy ranked 3rd in November full game dollar sales, driven by the launch of the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Hogwarts Legacy ranked as the #2 best-selling title on Nintendo Switch during November. Hogwarts Legacy remains the best-selling game of 2023 YTD.
Assisted by price promotion, Just Dance 2024 Edition jumped from #73 on the best-selling charts in October to 20th in November. Nintendo Switch was Just Dance 2024 Edition’s leading sales platform during the month.
Inclusion in subscription offerings helped several titles see active user count boosts. On PS5, Aliens: Fireteam Elite ranked 11th in monthly active users during Nov, up from #714 in Oct. On Xbox Series consoles, Wild Hearts jumped from 501st in October MAU to #18 in November.
On Steam, Lethal Company ranked 2nd in monthly active users in Nov, behind only Counter-Strike 2. The title placed 115th in October. Half-Life increased from #383 in October to 20th in November thanks to the release of the Half-Life 25th Anniversary Update during the month.
Sales of Digital at Retail products (including point of sale activated gift cards and digital codes on receipt) showed single-digit percentage dollar sales growth in Nov vs YA. Nov consumer spending on Roblox and Fortnite digital at retail products each more than doubled vs YA.
Mobile
Sensor Tower reported the top 10 games by U.S. consumer spending in Nov and the rank change from Oct as: MONOPOLY GO!, Royal Match, Roblox, Candy Crush Saga, Coin Master (+1), Pokémon GO, Jackpot Party – Casino Slots, Gardenscapes, Evony (+2) and Township (-1).
“US mobile gaming spend in Nov 2023 showed another modest increase (+2.6%) compared to Nov 2022. Looking at the top games, we seem to have reached a fairly stable hierarchy, with MONOPOLY GO! showing no signs of giving over the number one spot,” said Samuel Aune of Sensor Tower.
Accessories
November 2023 accessories spending increased 3% when compared to a year ago, to $303 million, driven by 8% growth in gamepad spending. The PS5 Dual Sense Wireless Controller Midnight Black was again the month’s best-selling accessory in consumer spending.
Software charts
Year To Date
Monthly Active User Engagement
Rankings
Units: PS5 > XBS > NSW
Revenue: PS5 > XBS > NSW
YTD Units: PS5 > NSW > XBS
YTD Revenue: PS5 > NSW > XBS
*credit to thick thighs from GAF post
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