GTA 6 Can't Save Xbox: Series X|S Hits Worst September Ever
Circana analyst Matt Piscatella says GTA 6 hype isn't boosting Xbox Series X|S sales, which fell 27% year-over-year in September 2026 — the platform's worst September on record.
So much for the GTA 6 bump. Everyone figured the biggest game of the generation would drag console sales along with it, but at least in the US, Xbox isn't feeling the love.
According to Circana analyst Matt Piscatella, Xbox Series X|S sales dropped 27% year-over-year in September 2026 — the platform's worst September ever. That's a rough look for a console that's supposed to be gearing up for GTA 6's launch on Xbox and PS5 this November. Players are clearly getting ready for the game, but the hardware numbers just aren't showing it.
Speaking with GamesBeat, Piscatella pointed out that even with GTA 6 on the horizon, Xbox hardware isn't seeing the expected lift. Meanwhile, PS5 is actually bouncing back in the US market. The analyst reckons August's GTA 6 extended showcase on Netflix gave Sony a little push, but Marvel's Wolverine did most of the heavy lifting. His rough estimate: about 70% of PS5's recent sales growth came from Wolverine, with roughly 30% tied to GTA 6 hype. He was quick to note that's just an estimate based on market data — there's no clean way to separate each factor's contribution.
To be fair, this doesn't mean GTA 6 has zero pull on Xbox. Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball previously said the game broke preorder records on the Xbox store. But digital preorders and new console sales are two very different things. Plenty of players probably already own an Xbox, and anyone shopping for a new console might just lean toward PS5 instead.
It's an interesting wrinkle in the GTA 6 buildup. The hype is real, the preorders are real, but the hardware bump? Not so much — at least not on Team Green.
What do you think — is GTA 6 enough to make you buy a new console, or are you sticking with what you've got? Let us know in the comments.
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