Circana data shows steady spending despite post-holiday cooldown
Summary
– Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 tops January 2026 U.S. sales charts
– PlayStation 5 leads hardware as overall spending rises 3% year-over-year
– Final Fantasy VII: Remake surges after new platform launches
January brought a familiar cooldown to the U.S. gaming market, but familiar leaders still held firm at the top of the charts.
According to data shared by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 once again claimed the No. 1 spot for the month. NBA 2K26 followed at No. 2, while Madden NFL 26 climbed to No. 3 after sitting fourth in December. Battlefield 6 slipped to fifth as the holiday momentum faded.
On the hardware side, PlayStation 5 led in both unit and dollar sales. Nintendo Switch 2 secured second place in both categories. Overall hardware spending rose 16% year over year, primarily driven by Switch 2 sales. That growth helped offset declines in PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and the original Switch. Accessories spending dipped 5% to $185 million.
Content spending reached $4.3 billion, up 3% from the same period last year. Subscription revenue played a major role in that growth, rising 23% year over year. Total gaming spending across hardware, content, and accessories hit $4.7 billion.
New releases were limited, with Code Vein II entering the top 20 at No. 11 as the only fresh title to crack the rankings. One of the month’s biggest movers was Final Fantasy VII: Remake, which surged from outside the top 200 to No. 9 after launching on Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch 2. Fallout 4 also climbed significantly, boosted by renewed interest surrounding the Fallout television series and a major price cut.
Outside the top 20, Fable Anniversary and Animal Crossing: New Horizons experienced notable sales spikes. Trailer buzz for the upcoming Fable title fueled renewed interest, while DLC support and the Switch 2 release drove Animal Crossing sales.
January rarely sets the tone for explosive growth in the gaming industry, and 2026 was no exception. Still, steady spending and strong franchise performances show that even a quieter month can produce solid results.
