As Nintendo Switch 2 breaks records, game subscription spending hits another all-time high in the US — boding well for Xbox Game Pass?

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In June 2025, expenditure on video game subscriptions hit a new record in the U.S., as reported by Mat Piscatella, executive director and analyst at Circana, who shared insights on gaming spending that month via Bluesky.

According to Piscatella, the Nintendo Switch 2 sold an impressive 1.6 million units during its launch month, marking a significant 249% surge in hardware spending compared to the same period last year. It’s worth noting that the Nintendo Switch 2 was both the top-selling console in terms of units and revenue for the month.

Moreover, the sales of non-mobile video game subscriptions (such as Xbox Game Pass) also hit another all-time high for a single month, surpassing the previous record set just a month before in May 2025.

Total video game spending for the month reached $5.7 billion, up 22% year-over-year.

Bandai Namco and FromSoftware’s Elden Ring Nightreign maintained its position as the highest-selling video game in June 2025 and for the year so far, raking in the top spot it secured in May. On the other hand, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach by PlayStation and Kojima Productions came in second place but failed to make the top 20 list for the year up until June.

In third place was Nintendo’s Mario Kart World, retailing at $80 in the U.S. It is worth mentioning that this ranking does not account for digital sales data, which some publishers like Nintendo choose to withhold, or any data shared by developers such as Larian Studios.

All told, total spending on video games during the month amounted to $5.7 billion, marking a 22% increase compared to the same period last year. For your reference, you will find below the list of top-selling games in June 2025 and for the year so far. As a reminder, Circana monitors sales by tracking dollar amounts instead of copies sold.

June 2025 Circana sales charts: Here are the top 20 best-selling games in the U.S.

1. Reign of Elden Ring

2. Death Stranding 2: Shoreline Chronicles

3. World Race Mario Kart

4. Call of Duty: Ops Undercover 6

5. Celestial Sword Stellar Blade

6. Horizon Forza 5

7. Showdown MLB 25

8. Crafting Minecraft

9. Grand Theft Auto V (Fifth Version)

10. Rune Guardians of Factory: Azuma

11. Divided Split Fiction

12. Electronic Arts Football Club 25

13. Elden Ring Reign

14. Basketball 2K25

15. Redemption 2: Wild West

16. Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered (Refurbished)

17. Star Wars: Battlefront 2017 Sequel (Remastered)

18. Cyberpunk 2077

19. Assassin’s Creed Shadows of the Night

20. WWE 2K25: Wrestling Empire

June 2025 Circana sales charts: Here are the best-selling games of the year in the U.S.

1. Monster Hunter Wilds: Monster Hunting in the Wilderness
2. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered: A Return to Oblivion’s Elder Scrolls World
3. Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Stealth and Assassination in Shadows
4. Call of Duty: Black Ops VI: The Sixth Installment of the Black Ops Series (Note: No digital sales data available)
5. MLB The Show 25: America’s Pastime, Version 25 (Note: No digital sales data on Xbox or Nintendo Switch)
6. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: Medieval Adventure Continues
7. WWE 2K25: Wrestling Entertainment 2K’s Latest Edition
8. Elden Ring Nightreign: The Sequel to the Elden Ring Experience
9. Split Fiction: A Game of Multiple Perspectives (Note: No digital sales data)
10. NBA 2K25: Basketball Entertainment 2K’s Latest Version (Note: No digital sales data on Nintendo Switch)
11. Forza Horizon 5: Car Racing in an Open World
12. Sid Meier’s Civilization VII: A New Era for the Civilization Series (Note: No digital sales data)
13. Minecraft: The Sandbox Building Game
14. PGA Tour 2K25: Professional Golf Tournament Simulation, Version 25 (Note: No digital sales data on Nintendo Switch)
15. Grand Theft Auto 5: Criminal Adventures in Los Santos and Blaine County
16. DOOM: The Dark Ages: Return to the World of Doom
17. EA Sports FC 25: Soccer Entertainment’s Latest Edition (Note: No digital sales data)
18. Red Dead Redemption 2: The Wild West Adventure Continues
19. Madden NFL 25: American Football Game, Version 25 (Note: No digital sales data on Nintendo Switch)
20. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Web-Slinging Action with the Superhero Spider-Man

I’m curious how far subscription spending will climb

It’s worth mentioning that video game subscription spending in the U.S. has hit a new record high for two consecutive months. Given that unending growth isn’t feasible, it makes me wonder if this trend could continue. If it does, which games will drive this growth? At the moment, these are the questions on my mind.

As we move forward, most of July’s spending is expected to revolve around the ongoing tale of the Nintendo Switch 2. However, August brings Helldivers 2 to Xbox Series X|S, and I’m incredibly intrigued about what will unfold then.

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2025-07-24 01:40