GTA 6 doesn't save Xbox: US sales down 27% in September, PS5 up 22%

Confirmed Published on October 27, 2026 2 min read By Alex di LeonidaGuide Last checked October 27, 2026

Illustration: an electronics store aisle at night, one shelf nearly empty and one full of dusty console boxes, with two neon charts, one rising and one falling — Original illustration: two consoles, two opposite trends. Image: Leonidaguide

GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, but the anticipation is not helping the two consoles equally. That is what Circana’s data on the US market for September, released on October 22, shows: PS5 grows, Xbox drops sharply.

Why Xbox is doing so badly

The most obvious reason is price. According to Circana data reported by Pure Xbox, an Xbox Series console cost $497 on average in September 2025 and $663 this year: a third more. People spend more per console, but buy far fewer. PS5 has gone up in price too, but by less.

Illustration: an electronics store aisle with one shelf nearly empty and one full of dusty consoles, and two neon charts

Original illustration.

And GTA 6?

The game is not out yet, so September’s data only reflects anticipation. Kotaku links PS5’s growth partly to the late-August Extended Look, and GTA 6’s campaign is tied to PlayStation, from trailers that end with only the PS5 logo to the one that aired on TV during the NBA. Estimates put pre-orders far ahead on PS5 compared with Xbox, although Microsoft has talked about “record” orders without giving numbers.

November will be the month that really counts: that is when we will see whether GTA 6 sells consoles, and which ones.

What it means if you are buying

For players, GTA 6 is the same game on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with the same release date. If you still have to choose a console, what is known about PS5, PS5 Pro, Series X and Series S is in our guide to consoles, editions and pre-orders.

In brief

According to Circana, Xbox Series unit sales in the US fall 27% in September.
PS5 grows 22%, Switch 2 falls 14%.
The average price of an Xbox Series went from $497 to $663 in a year.
Kotaku ties part of PS5’s growth to the GTA 6 Extended Look.
The real test will be November, the launch month.

Frequently asked questions

Is GTA 6 selling more consoles?

For PS5 the anticipation seems to help: in September US sales grew 22%. For Xbox it does not, at least so far: sales fell 27%, partly because of higher prices.

Should I buy an Xbox Series for GTA 6?

The game is the same on Xbox Series X|S and PS5. The choice depends on price, the games you care about and the console you already own, not on GTA 6.