September 2026 delivered a mixed result for the US games market. Software sales strengthened, led by Marvel’s Wolverine, while overall spending and console shipments moved lower. Xbox continued to face the sharpest decline among the major platforms.
Circana senior director and gaming research head Mat Piscatella shared the latest figures in his morning Bluesky update. Projected US spending across games content, hardware and accessories reached $4.8 billion for the month, down 1 per cent year-on-year. Spending for 2026 so far stands at $41.0 billion, which is 3 per cent behind the pace set in 2025.
Marvel’s Wolverine leads a strong software month
Marvel’s Wolverine was September’s top-selling game, finishing ahead of NBA 2K27 and EA Sports FC 27. Its performance also placed it 11th among 2026’s best-selling games to date. Both comparisons are ahead of the equivalent position following Ghost of Yotei’s autumn launch the previous year.
Piscatella reported that the Insomniac Games release achieved the highest launch-month full-game dollar sales for a Sony-published title since Helldivers II debuted in February 2024. That result came despite a middling Metacritic score and the game’s complete exclusivity, with no PC version planned.
September’s projected top-ten ranking covered physical sales and full-game digital dollar sales, while excluding mobile games and digital add-on content.
The wider best-seller chart was notable for how heavily it favoured new releases. Rather than being dominated by older annual sports titles and Call of Duty entries, the list included fresh games such as The Blood of Dawnwalker and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. The combination of new franchises, sequels, varied genres and established brands suggests a healthy month for major game launches.
For more gaming and hardware coverage, browse the RETROCADE Arcade Blog, or explore the arcade machines that bring classic game-room experiences into Australian homes.
Console sales tell a different story
Hardware performance was considerably less positive. PlayStation 5 unit sales rose 22 per cent compared with September 2025. Switch 2 shipments fell 14 per cent, while Xbox Series sales dropped 27 per cent.
The PS5 increase may have benefited from interest following the previous month’s Netflix reveal for Grand Theft Auto 6. Switch 2’s decline has been linked to its latest price increase, although sales could improve ahead of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arriving in November.
Xbox’s position remains particularly difficult. Reported price increases connected to rising AI-related costs have added pressure, while Microsoft has also been affected by supply-chain constraints. An all-digital PS5 is currently priced at $600, compared with a starting price of $750 for the equivalent Xbox Series X.
Stock availability appears to be another problem for Microsoft. Some users who had not switched on their existing Xbox for an extended period reportedly received a message encouraging them to resell it through Best Buy, where it could reach another customer at a lower price. Alongside console news, Australian players comparing home setups can use RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide to plan their next gaming space.
A two-sided September result
The September figures present a clear split: new software launches generated meaningful momentum, but weaker hardware demand pulled total market spending down. Sony benefited on both sides of the report, while Switch 2 and Xbox Series shipments left the console sector looking uneven as the year moved into its final months.
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