US Gaming Market Analysis: 2022

The United States gaming market experienced a contraction in 2022, with total consumer spending falling 5% to $57 billion compared to the $60 billion recorded in 2021. This decline was primarily driven by a 7% reduction in software sales, which encompasses digital games, downloadable content, and subscription services across console, mobile, PC, cloud, and virtual reality platforms. Software accounted for the vast majority of total industry revenue, totaling $47.5 billion for the year.

Despite the overall downturn, hardware sales demonstrated resilience, increasing 8% to reach $6.57 billion. While the Nintendo Switch led the market in total units sold, the PlayStation 5 secured the highest dollar sales for the year. Additionally, spending on gaming accessories grew by 8% to $2.5 billion, with the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller emerging as the top-selling peripheral.

Market performance for individual titles was led by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, followed by Elden Ring and Madden NFL 23. Platform-specific performance highlighted God of War: Ragnarok as the top PlayStation exclusive, Pokémon: Scarlet and Violet as the leader on Nintendo platforms, and Forza Horizon 5 as the primary Microsoft exclusive. The data, provided by the NPD Group, reflects a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. gaming landscape throughout the 2022 calendar year.