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Out November 19
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GTA 6 helps push US PS5 sales up 22% in September, Circana says

Circana data reported by Bloomberg shows US PS5 unit sales up 22% year on year in September 2026 and revenue up 43% ahead of GTA 6. What it does not say.

By GTA6Wire StaffPublished 2 min read

Jason fishes from the back of a boat while a man in a floral shirt looks on
Out fishing. Screenshot © Rockstar Games.

US PlayStation 5 unit sales rose 22% year on year in September 2026, and Sony's console hardware revenue rose 43%, according to Circana data reported by Bloomberg. Bloomberg attributes the jump to buyers preparing for GTA 6 on November 19, 2026. TASS and NDTV Profit both carry the same Bloomberg figures.

What Circana found#

  • 22% more PS5 units sold in the US in September 2026 than in September 2025.
  • 43% more hardware revenue, which made Sony the highest earner among console makers for the month.
  • The PS5 Pro is scarce. The $900 console has either sold out or is in limited supply at Amazon, Best Buy, MediaMarkt and Yodobashi Camera, Bloomberg reports. Its popularity and price increases over the past year are what Bloomberg gives as the drivers behind the revenue figure.
  • Nintendo went the other way. US unit sales of the newer Switch 2 fell 14% in September compared with a year earlier, after Nintendo raised prices.

Bloomberg also quotes Twitch CEO Dan Clancy warning game studios that GTA 6 will soak up attention across the holiday season, and notes that the game is exclusive to PlayStation and Xbox consoles at launch, with PC to follow.

What the numbers do not say#

This is our reading:

  • It is US retail only. Circana measures US spending. A global picture, and Sony's own quarterly earnings, come separately.
  • The link to GTA 6 is inferred. Nobody has isolated how many buyers said they were buying for GTA 6. Console sales also moved because of price changes and the PS5 Pro, which Bloomberg names first.
  • It is September data. Circana published it in late October, so the October and November months, which contain the launch itself, are still open.

If you still need a console before launch#

Sony has announced no official GTA 6 console bundle, only two Limited Edition DualSense controllers and a Japan-only Midnight Black PS5 for launch day; the PS5 bundle explainer covers what exists and what retailers assemble themselves. The PS5 Pro explainer covers what the Enhanced label does and does not promise, and our pre-order tracker shows how the console split looks so far: Sensor Tower puts PlayStation at 74% of digital pre-orders. GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Frequently asked questions

Are PS5 sales up because of GTA 6?

Circana's September data shows US PS5 unit sales up 22% year on year, and Bloomberg attributes the jump to buyers preparing for GTA 6. That is the analysts' reading: Sony has not credited the game for the increase.

Is the PS5 Pro sold out?

As of October 22, 2026, Bloomberg reports the $900 PS5 Pro has either sold out or is in limited supply at online stores including Amazon, Best Buy, MediaMarkt and Yodobashi Camera.

Did Xbox sales rise too?

Bloomberg's report covers Sony and Nintendo. It says US unit sales of Nintendo's Switch 2 fell 14% in September compared with a year earlier, after a price increase. It gives no Xbox figures.

Sources

  1. 'Grand Theft Auto VI' Fuels 22% Jump in Sony PlayStation 5 Sales (Bloomberg (via Yahoo Finance), accessed )
  2. PlayStation 5 sales in US jump 22% ahead of GTA VI release (TASS, accessed )
  3. 'Grand Theft Auto VI' Fuels 22% Jump in Sony PlayStation 5 Sales (NDTV Profit (Bloomberg), accessed )

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