February 2026 marked a significant milestone for the US video game industry, with Capcom’s latest survival horror entry achieving unprecedented commercial success. Resident Evil Requiem not only secured the top spot in Circana’s monthly sales charts but also set a new benchmark for the franchise’s launch performance, dominating across all major platforms. This release catalyzed a steady period of overall market activity, where hardware innovations and a diverse slate of new titles contributed to a robust $4.6 billion in total consumer spending.
Resident Evil Requiem Sets Franchise and Market Records
Resident Evil Requiem debuted as an unequivocal market leader, immediately claiming the position of the best-selling game of 2026 in the United States. According to Circana data for February 2026, the title ranked number one across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC storefronts individually. Its launch week performance was notably stronger than its predecessor, with unit sales increasing by more than 40% when excluding bundled editions. Crucially, sales revenue in its first week was approximately 60% higher than that of Resident Evil Village, underscoring the title’s expanded appeal and marketing impact.
Impact of Bundled Offerings and Platform Performance
While the standalone version of Requiem drove record numbers, a bundled package also found traction. The Resident Evil Generation Pack for the Switch 2, which includes Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village, and the new Requiem, debuted at number 20 on the monthly chart. This indicates strong interest in the franchise’s legacy content on Nintendo’s latest hardware. The overall market surge was significantly supported by a 27% increase in non-subscription content sales, with Requiem’s success being a primary contributor.
February 2026 Marketplace: New Entries and Steady Growth
The broader February 2026 landscape showcased a healthy influx of new software. Four additional new releases entered Circana’s Top 20 alongside Requiem: Mario Tennis Fever, God of War: Sons of Sparta, My Hero Academia: All’s Justice, and Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. The latter, a major re-release of a classic RPG, debuted as the 14th best-selling game of the year so far, demonstrating the enduring power of revitalized franchises.
Long-standing staples maintained strong positions. NBA 2K26 held firm at number two, while Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 dropped from first to third place. Helldivers 2 saw a notable resurgence, jumping from rank 15 to 5, and perennial favorites like Minecraft, EA Sports FC 26, and Grand Theft Auto V continued to perform reliably. The chart also reflected ongoing engagement with recent major releases, such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Mobile Market Dynamics and Event-Driven Revenue
On mobile platforms, Sensor Tower data revealed shifts driven by live events. Monopoly Go reclaimed the top spot, pushing Royal Match to second place. A significant mover was Pokémon Go, which broke back into the top ten by rising eight places. According to Sensor Tower’s Bryan Isagholian, “Pokémon Go shot up in the ranks, breaking into the Top 10 again with 61% revenue growth month-over-month and knocking Free Fire out of the Top 10.” This surge was attributed to the Road to Kalos event launched in late February, with expectations that increased daily revenue would continue into early March before the event concluded.
Hardware Sales Trends and Console Market Evolution
Hardware spending grew 22% year-on-year in February 2026 to $326 million, a gain largely driven by the Switch 2. Sales of Nintendo’s new console offset declines observed for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series systems. Despite those declines, the PS5 still led the hardware market in both unit and dollar sales for the month. The Switch 2 finished in second place, and after nine months on the market, its life-to-date install base is reported to be 45% higher than that of the original Switch at the same point in its lifecycle.
Top 20 Selling Software Titles for February 2026
The following list details the top 20 best-selling games in the US from February 1 to February 28, 2026, based on Circana data. Notable exclusions are marked: digital sales for Mario Tennis Fever and Pokémon Legends: Z-A are not included, and digital sales for Minecraft on Xbox and Switch platforms are also excluded.
| Rank | Last Month Rank | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NEW | Resident Evil Requiem |
| 2 | 2 | NBA 2K26 |
| 3 | 1 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 |
| 4 | 4 | Minecraft^ |
| 5 | 15 | Helldivers 2 |
| 6 | 6 | EA Sports FC 26 |
| 7 | 5 | Battlefield 6 |
| 8 | 3 | Madden NFL 26 |
| 9 | NEW | Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined |
| 10 | 7 | Grand Theft Auto 5 |
| 11 | NEW | Mario Tennis Fever* |
| 12 | 9 | Red Dead Redemption 2 |
| 13 | 195 | Diablo 2: Resurrected |
| 14 | NEW | God of War: Sons of Sparta |
| 15 | 12 | Ghost of Yōtei |
| 16 | 11 | Forza Horizon 5 |
| 17 | NEW | My Hero Academia: All’s Justice |
| 18 | 25 | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 |
| 19 | 16 | Pokémon Legends: Z-A* |
| 20 | NEW | Resident Evil Generation Pack |
The February 2026 sales data illustrates a market energized by a flagship horror release while maintaining stability through perennial franchises and hardware transition. Resident Evil Requiem’s record-breaking launch provided a substantial revenue anchor, facilitating flat year-on-year growth for the overall market at $4.6 billion and content spending at $4 billion. This performance, combined with the strategic success of the Switch 2 and the recurring strength of live service and mobile events, paints a picture of an industry ecosystem where blockbuster launches, hardware cycles, and ongoing content engagement collectively drive sustained commercial vitality.
