More U.S. gamers are canceling console subscription services because of rising costs, according to new data from Circana. More than 40% of gamers who recently canceled a subscription identified cost as a primary reason for their decision.

The figures cover cancellations rather than the overall number of subscribers leaving each service. Circana video game analyst Mat Piscatella emphasized that the data measures why people who canceled gave up their memberships, not how many total cancellations occurred.

Nintendo Switch Online showed the strongest cost concerns among the services examined. Half of recent subscribers who canceled said they could no longer justify the price, while cost-related cancellations have increased by more than 50% compared with earlier in the year.

Cost concerns also increased among users of Xbox Game Pass Essential and PlayStation Plus Essential. The share of subscribers citing price as a reason for canceling rose from 37% to 41%.

The trend comes as gaming companies face higher costs across both hardware and subscription services. All three major console manufacturers raised hardware prices in 2026, while Xbox has made several changes to its Game Pass offerings.

Xbox lowered the price of its highest-tier Game Pass subscription in April and has also tested advertisements for an ad-supported cloud gaming option designed to provide a lower-cost way for users to access games.

Microsoft is also preparing to introduce monthly cloud gaming limits for Game Pass subscribers beginning in November. The changes come as console makers and game publishers increasingly rely on recurring subscriptions and digital services as part of the gaming business.