Key Notes
- PS5 unit sales rose 22% year over year in September in the US, while hardware dollar sales increased 43% and Sony led both rankings.
- Total hardware unit sales fell 3% despite higher spending, with Switch 2 and Xbox Series selling fewer consoles than a year earlier.
- GTA VI launches on November 19, but Circana’s release does not isolate its effect on PS5 sales and also highlights Marvel’s Wolverine.
PlayStation 5 unit sales in the US increased 22% year over year in September, according to Circana data shared by analyst Mat Piscatella on October 22. The figures show Sony’s console gaining ground ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI’s November release, although they do not establish that anticipation for the game caused the increase.
PS5 hardware dollar sales rose even faster, increasing 43% compared with September 2025. The console led the US hardware market in both units and spending, while Sony’s share of hardware dollar sales reached its highest monthly level since May 2025. Unit growth and spending growth are separate measures; the latter is not Sony’s reported worldwide hardware revenue.
The broader market was less buoyant. Total console hardware unit sales fell 3% year over year, with Switch 2 down 14% and Xbox Series down 27%. Nevertheless, hardware spending across the US market increased 12% to $362 million. These comparisons cover September’s retail results, rather than global console shipments or lifetime sales.
Circana’s summary highlights Marvel’s Wolverine as a contributor to PlayStation’s gains. The game also topped September’s full-game dollar-sales ranking. That provides an immediate release-related backdrop to the hardware rebound, while the published figures do not quantify how many buyers purchased a PS5 specifically for GTA VI.
Rockstar lists November 19 as GTA VI’s release date on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. We previously covered its launch trailer as the game entered its final pre-release stretch. September’s PS5 increase therefore comes before Rockstar’s game reaches players, making the next hardware reports useful for tracking whether that momentum continues.
