Switch 2 Triggers First US Physical Game Spending Rise Since 2009
Circana data show US physical game spending rose 3% year over year to $1.6 billion for the year ending May 2026—the first YoY gain since 2009—driven by Switch 2; analysts call it a likely temporary blip as digital and used games dominate. Switch 2 has moved about 19.86 million consoles globally by March 2026, with over 1.1 million US units sold in its first week, and Nintendo plans a ~20% production increase to meet demand; physical software on Nintendo systems is up ~26% YoY but still down from May 2024.