It's no surprise that many children are hoping for video games this holiday season. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which represents the US video game industry in Washington D.C., has released a study showing that kids aged 10-17 overwhelmingly desire video games for Christmas and other holiday celebrations. A survey revealed that 76% of children plan to ask their parents or caregivers for video games, surpassing requests for money (67%), clothes (66%), and general tech items like phones and smartwatches (62%). Both girls (67%) and boys (87%) expressed interest in receiving video games this holiday season. The top five game-related items children want include consoles (47%), subscription services (43%), console games (41%), game gear (41%), and in-game currency (38%).
The survey also examined spending predictions among US adults, finding that those planning to buy video game gifts intend to spend an average of $312 on themselves or others. The Financial Times recently reported on the challenging holiday shopping season for video game hardware, citing Gareth Sutcliffe, an analyst for Enders Analysis, who said, "It would be difficult to imagine a holiday season less exciting than this one for gaming hardware." Sutcliffe added, "It's fairly grim this year." Video game hardware sales are declining across the board, with Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch sales falling year-over-year, a trend expected to continue with Circana's upcoming October report.
Sony recently released the PS5 Pro, targeting a niche tech-enthusiast market rather than the general consumer. To boost sales, Microsoft temporarily reduced the price of the Xbox Series X by $50. Sony initially advertised a $20 discount on the digital edition of the PS5 Slim until Christmas Eve but later edited the trailer to remove mention of the discount without explanation. Meanwhile, Nintendo announced Black Friday deals, including discounts on Switch bundles, and is expected to unveil the Switch 2 in the coming months.
The ESA continues to lobby lawmakers in Washington to support self-regulation of the video game industry, avoiding government intervention. The ESA recently congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his victory, expressing eagerness to collaborate with the Trump administration and the incoming Congress to support policies that benefit the more than 190 million Americans who regularly play video games.
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