November 2023 U.S. consumer total spending on video game content, hardware, and accessories fell 7% when compared to a year ago, to $5.9 billion, according to Circana reports. The decline was driven by a 24% drop in hardware spending and a 3% dip in content. 2023 year-to-date spending was 1% higher than a year ago, at $49.3 billion.
November video game content spending dropped 3% when compared to a year ago, to $4.6 billion. 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-over-year. PlayStation Portal debuted as the No. 4 best-selling hardware platform of November with the limited quantities available at launch selling out. PlayStation 5 remained the best-selling hardware platform in both unit and dollar sales during November 2023. Xbox Series ranked second across both measures.
Year-to-date hardware spending fell 1% when compared to the same period in 2022, at $5 billion. PlayStation 5 remains the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars year-to-date, with Nintendo Switch placing second across both measures.
November 2023 accessories spending increased 3% when compared to a year ago, at $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, while the PS5 DualSense Edge Wireless Controller White led all accessories in year-to-date dollar sales.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III was the best-selling game of November, instantly becoming the second best-selling game of 2023 year-to-date. This is the fifth consecutive year that a Call of Duty title was November’s best-seller. The last non-Call of Duty title to rank first in consumer spending during a November tracking period was Red Dead Redemption II in November 2018.
Hogwarts Legacy ranked third in November full game dollar sales, after placing 10th in October, driven by the launch of the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Hogwarts Legacy remains the best-selling game of 2023 year-to-date.
TOP 10 GAMES FOR NOVEMBER 2023
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (Activision Blizzard Corp.)
2. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Sony Corp.)
3. Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros. Games)
4. Madden NFL 24 (Electronic Arts)
5. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo)
6. EA Sports FC 24 (Electronic Arts)
7. Super Mario RPG 2023 (Nintendo)
8. Mortal Kombat 1 (Warner Bros. Games)
9. NBA 2K24 (Take 2 Interactive Corp.)
10. UFC 5 (Electronic Arts)
In Mobile content, Sensor Tower reports the top 10 games by U.S. consumer spending in November as Monopoly Go!, Royal Match, Roblox, Candy Crush Saga, Coin Master, Pokémon GO, Jackpot Party – Casino Slots, Gardenscapes, Evony, and Township.
“U.S. mobile gaming spend in November 2023 showed another modest increase (2.6%) compared to November 2022,” says Samuel Aune of Sensor Tower. “Looking at the top games, we seem to have reached a fairly stable hierarchy, with Monopoly Go!! showing no signs of giving over the No. 1 spot. November 2023 was not a great month for most of the top games, with seven out of the top 10 showing a decline in consumer spend compared to October. However, this may not be a significant cause for concern, as the same trend occurred in November 2022. This month’s highlight is Coin Master, which managed to make it back into the top five mobile games by monthly U.S. revenue again. Coin Master held a successful Black Friday event during which it ran sales galore.”
