US Gaming Industry Sees 1% Year-Over-Year Growth in 2023, Driven by 4% December Sales Increase

The US gaming industry bounced back in 2023, with total spending increasing by 1% to $57.2 billion, according to Circana's latest report. This growth was driven by modest gains in software, add-ons, and subscriptions, as well as accessories, which offset the relatively flat hardware sales. Notably, Hogwarts Legacy took the top spot as the best-selling game of the year in terms of dollar sales, a first for a non-Call of Duty, non-Rockstar game since 2008. The PS5 led the hardware category in both units and dollars for the full year, while the Switch followed closely behind. In December, the industry saw a strong finish, with total spending up 4% to $7.9 billion, driven by a 14% increase in accessory sales. The PS5 also dominated the hardware category in December, with record-high dollar sales. Fortnite claimed the largest unique monthly active users on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, while Lethal Company led the pack on Steam. Mobile game spending saw a 2.7% year-over-year increase in December, with Monopoly Go topping the charts.