Physical Game Sales Hit Record Low as Rare Retro Titles Fetch Millions
Morton Grove – – September 7, 2026 -- U.S. spending on new physical video games fell to $1.5 billion in calendar year 2025, the lowest annual total since tracking firm Circana began measuring the category in 1995, according to data shared by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella and cited by The Old School Game Vault.
The figure marks a steep drop from the category's peak of $11.6 billion in 2008. A separate rolling 12-month measurement from Circana, covering the period ending May 2026, put spending at approximately $1.6 billion -- down from a peak of roughly $11.5 billion for the 12 months ending May 2009.