In January, spending on video games in the United States increased by 3%, with subscription services contributing $596 million, according to the US Monthly Charts
The video game market in the United States experienced a 3% uptick in consumer spending during January 2026, reaching a total of $4.3 billion. This was largely fueled by a significant 23% rise in non-mobile subscription services, which generated $596 million.
According to Circana, there was an upward trend in spending on console and PC content, even as mobile spending slightly declined. The expenditure on gaming hardware rose by 16% from January the previous year, amounting to $248 million.
Revenue from the Nintendo Switch 2 helped counterbalance declines in year-over-year sales for other consoles. PlayStation 5 sales decreased by 17%, Xbox Series X|S by 27%, and the Nintendo Switch console family by 79%. Despite this, the PlayStation 5 maintained its position as the leader in both unit sales and revenue from hardware in the U.S. last month, with the Switch 2 following closely.
In the game sales ranking, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 held its top position, while NBA 2K26 was second. Battlefield 6, which was previously third, slipped to fifth, overtaken by Madden NFL 26. The Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S launch of Final Fantasy 7: Remake dramatically boosted its standing, moving it from 225th to the Top 10. Meanwhile, Code Vein 2 was the sole new entrant to join the rankings, securing the 11th spot.
Fallout 4 managed to climb into the Top 20, rising significantly from its previous 68th position. This shift occurred following the second season of its adaptation on Prime Video, which ranks as the streaming service’s sixth most-watched series ever. Additionally, the release of this new season caused a surge in sales of Fallout games over the holiday season.
As for mobile gaming, Clash Royale exited the Top 10 with its revenue dropping by 49% in December 2025, while Pixel Flow saw a remarkable increase of 79% in its in-app purchase revenue. Notably, Scopely acquired a majority interest in Loom Games, the developer behind Pixel Flow.
Below is the list of the top 20 best-selling games from January 4, 2026, to January 31, 2026, as reported by Circana:
| Rank | Last month rank | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 |
| 2 | 2 | NBA 2K26 |
| 3 | 4 | Madden NFL 26 |
| 4 | 8 | Minecraft^ |
| 5 | 3 | Battlefield 6 |
| 6 | 5 | EA Sports FC 26 |
| 7 | 12 | Grand Theft Auto 5 |
| 8 | 15 | Red Dead Redemption 2 |
| 9 | 225 | Final Fantasy 7: Remake |
| 10 | 14 | Forza Horizon 5 |
| 11 | NEW | Code Vein 2 |
| 12 | 10 | Ghost of Yōtei |
| 13 | 17 | Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 |
| 14 | 11 | EA Sports College Football 26 |
| 15 | 28 | Helldivers 2 |
| 16 | 6 | Pokémon Legends: Z-A* |
| 17 | 24 | Split Fiction |
| 18 | 25 | Elden Ring |
| 19 | 16 | Flight Simulator 2024 |
| 20 | 68 | Fallout 4 |
*Digital sales not included, ^Xbox and Switch digital sales not included.