Lesser-Known Console Surpasses Xbox Sales During Black Friday in the U.S.

During the Black Friday week in the United States, Xbox found itself surprisingly ousted from the top sales ranks by an unexpected contender. According to data from Circana, the family console Nex Playground snagged the third spot, capturing 14% of the market, thereby surpassing Microsoft’s devices.

As anticipated, PlayStation 5 claimed the leading position, boasting an impressive 47% market share, attributed to significant discounts. Following closely was the newly released Nintendo Switch 2 with a 24% share, while Xbox’s share dipped below 14%. This highlights the challenging circumstances the brand faces in the domestic U.S. market.

Interestingly, some users and experts believe that the situation for Xbox isn’t as dire as it appears, with weak sales figures potentially having understandable reasons:

Christopher Dring, co-founder of The Game Business, provided insights into the surprising competitor that has overtaken the green giant. Nex Playground is an affordable Android console that was launched in 2023. It employs a motion-tracking camera similar to Kinect and focuses on family-friendly entertainment, featuring games like Fruit Ninja among its offerings. With a stated price of $250, the console is often sold for under $200. Interest in the device is gradually increasing, and just a week before Black Friday, it even briefly surpassed the PS5 in sales in the U.S.

Gaming journalist Rob Fahey recently referred to Nex Playground as a clever solution for an overlooked segment of the market.

In the UK, the results of the Black Friday discount frenzy mirrored those in the U.S.: PS5 emerged as the standout product of the sale, capturing 62% of the market. Xbox Series accounted for 10%, while Nintendo Switch 2 took 23%. PlayStation sales were heavily influenced by discounts, with the standard model selling for 21% less and the digital variant for 34% less. Furthermore, the PS5 Pro achieved its best performance since launch, thanks to a record price drop—retailing at just £586 compared to the usual £699.99.