- A notable industry insider reveals gaming hardware costs have grown by 16% in the US.
- This staggering growth occurred in just H1 2026, and it will only get worse over time.
- This increase is driven by a series of price hikes across the industry due to rising memory prices and shortages.
The gaming industry has been on a decline since memory prices exploded and scarcity began in late 2025. The pressure is not letting up anytime soon, it seems, as the global PC and console market wrestles with relentless price hikes and mounting sales losses.
A new report reveals that the average selling price of new gaming hardware rose from $452 in January 2026 to $525 in June 2026 in the US. This is a depressing 16% price increase in just six months.
This surge also marks the first console generation where hardware prices have continued to climb significantly over time.
Why it matters: The average selling price of gaming hardware surging so drastically signals a gloomy future ahead for the industry. More price hikes are expected across the industry as the memory crisis continues to worsen.
Notable US analyst Mat Piscatella revealed this tidbit of grueling information on a new BlueSky post. The average selling price data of US game units sold at retail was sourced from the Circana Retail Tracking Service.
The next six months could also show a similar trend in the average price increase of gaming hardware. So, the overall 2026 hike could surpass previous industry records.
These price hikes have been industry-wide, with Xbox recently causing a major controversy with over 30% price bumps across Japan, Europe, and the UK, followed by the shocking increase in the US earlier this year.
Similarly, the PS5 family of consoles has also seen notable price surges in recent times.
This surge is mainly driven by RAM and chip shortages fueled by the AI data-center frenzy. One of the main players in the memory market, Samsung, speculates that supply struggles will only get worse in 2027 and 2028 at least, so the next few years could be worse.
Do you think the gaming hardware costs will come down over time, or will they continue to rise in the next few years? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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