ここ1年間、家庭用ゲーム機の購入を控える消費者が増加していることは、決して個人の傾向にとどまらない。
In the past year, more consumers have been refraining from purchasing home video game consoles, and this is not just a personal trend.
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According to the latest report from market research firm Circana, even in November, when sales usually surge due to Black Friday, the home video game console market recorded its worst sales since 2005.
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Furthermore, sales of packaged game software have also dropped to their lowest level since 1995.
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This stagnant situation is spreading throughout the entire industry, and even the major manufacturers known as the Big Three are no exception.
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In particular, sales of the Xbox Series X/S dropped significantly by 70% compared to the same period last year, and Sonys PlayStation 5 also saw a substantial decrease of 40%.
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Furthermore, the combined sales of the Nintendo Switch and the newly released Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2024 also decreased by 10%.
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There are many causes for this situation, but to put it simply, it comes down to rising prices and a decrease in consumers disposable income.
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Due to changes in tariffs and market conditions, the prices of new game consoles are rising rapidly.
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In fact, Xbox raised its prices twice in 2025, with the Series S increasing from $400 to $450 about ¥62,200 to ¥70,000, and the Series X rising from $600 to $800 about ¥93,400 to ¥124,500, surpassing the initial price of the PlayStation 5.
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Sony was ultimately forced to implement a similar price increase, raising the price of all models by $50 about 7,800 yen. As a result, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is now $500 about 77,800 yen, the standard model is $550 about 85,600 yen, and the Pro model is $750 about 116,700 yen.
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Despite being more powerful and less expensive than the highest capacity Xbox Series X, the Pro model is still set at a very high price.
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Regarding the Nintendo Switch 2, since its release in June, the price has not been adjusted, but while the original Switch was $300 about 46,700 yen, the Switch 2 is being sold for $500 about 77,800 yen.
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However, the Switch 2 is currently recorded as the best-selling game console of all time.
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In this way, over the past five years, many game consoles have increased in price by $50 about 7,800 yen to $200 about 31,100 yen. Normally, prices decrease as time passes after release, but towards the end of the current generation, this trend has reversed.
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Furthermore, the deterioration of the economic environment is also a major factor in the decline in sales.
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As the prices of many products are rising, many consumers consider new game consoles to be luxury items, so its better not to buy them for a while.
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In the United States, housing prices and the prices of essential food items are soaring, and according to the latest survey, 70% of the population is struggling with the rising cost of living and has a negative outlook on the current economic situation.
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Given the situation where the prices of game consoles are rising like this, it must be said that the decrease in sales this time is inevitable.
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Microsoft is strengthening its subscription services and launching an advertising strategy that emphasizes you dont necessarily need to own an Xbox console.
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However, from a broader perspective, the fundamental problem lies in the stagnation of the overall economy, and it is unlikely that this situation will improve in the near future.
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