A Circana consumer survey conducted in Q1 2026 shows 41 percent of US gamers said exclusive games were the primary reason they chose to play on a console. This marks an 8-point decline from the same survey a year earlier in Q1 2025, according to Circana’s Future of Video Games report [1].
The survey polled 2,500 active US video game players aged 13 and older and was weighted to represent platform use and investment [1]. Following exclusive games, 38 percent said having friends or family on the same console ecosystem influenced their attachment, and 37 percent said consoles offered easier ways to play with friends and family. Playing games in a more casual environment like a living room appealed to 36 percent, while 24 percent valued the wider availability of physical games on consoles [1].
Circana noted that many of the video games with high weekly active user counts are non-exclusives. Titles such as NBA 2K26, Fortnite, Roblox, and Call of Duty remain at the top across PlayStation and Xbox, according to player engagement data from the week ending April 18, 2026 [1].
However, exclusives still play a crucial role in driving hardware sales. The report cites the spike in PlayStation 5 sales linked to the launch of God of War Ragnarok in November 2022, when PS5 sales jumped 116 percent in Japan during the release week and 38 percent of PS5 consoles sold in the UK that month came bundled with the game. The Switch 2’s market momentum also draws heavily on exclusives [1].
Mat Piscatella from Circana said, "But obviously, this isn't the whole story," referring to why gamers choose consoles beyond exclusives. Chris Dring highlighted the significance of exclusives driving sales spikes with the God of War Ragnarok example [1].
The survey reflects shifting priorities among gamers as other community and lifestyle factors remain significant reasons for console choice. Circana’s next update on video game consumer preferences is expected later in 2026 [1].
