Resident evil requiem rockets to top of u.s. charts, but overall gaming spending stalls
February 2026 delivered a welcome surge of new game releases, spearheaded by Resident Evil Requiem, which debuted as the best-selling title of the month and the entire year in the U.S. However, this influx of new content didn't translate into a significant boost for overall gaming revenue.
New releases fail to ignite a spending spree
Resident Evil Requiem hasn't just topped the charts; it’s the fastest-selling game in the franchise's history, racking up 6 million units globally according to Capcom. Yet, according to Circana’s monthly report analyzed by Mat Piscatella, total gaming spending only increased by 1% year-over-year. Content spending remained flat, and accessory sales saw a 2% dip.
The only bright spot was hardware, fueled largely by the success of the Nintendo Switch 2, which saw a 22% jump in spending to $326 million. This offsets declines in sales for older consoles. The PlayStation 5 continues to lead in both dollar and unit sales, but the Switch 2 is significantly outpacing its predecessor, trending 45% ahead of the original Switch after nine months on the market. November marked the Switch 1's ninth month, providing a useful point of comparison.
The new releases themselves were impressive. Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined landed at #9 for February and #14 for the year. Mario Tennis Fever, launching on the Switch 2, hit #11 for February and #1 on the Switch 2 platform. God of War: Sons of Sparta arrived at #14 (#6 on PlayStation), while My Hero Academia: All's Justice reached #17.
Interestingly, the Resident Evil Generation Pack, including Resident Evil 7, Village, and Requiem, performed better on the Switch than Requiem alone (#4 vs. #6). This suggests Nintendo fans are keen on revisiting the franchise’s past. However, comparing February 2026 to February 2025 reveals a quieter landscape. Last year saw the debuts of major titles like Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Civilization VII, setting a high bar.
Despite the overall sluggishness, certain titles experienced dramatic surges. Diablo II: Remastered climbed from #195 to #13 thanks to its Steam release, while Doom: The Dark Ages jumped to #9 on the PC storefront due to anniversary sale promotions.
Here’s the top 20 U.S. games for February 2026:
- Resident Evil Requiem (NEW)
- NBA 2K26
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
- Minecraft
- Helldivers 2
- EA Sports FC 26
- Battlefield 6
- Madden NFL 26
- Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined (NEW)
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Mario Tennis Fever (NEW)
- Red Dead Redemption II
- Diablo II: Resurrected
- God of War: Sons of Sparta (NEW)
- Ghost of Yotei
- Forza Horizon 5
- My Hero Academia: All's Justice (NEW)
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A
- Resident Evil Generation Pack (NEW)
Indicates that some or all digital sales are not included in Circana’s data. Some publishers, including Nintendo, do not share certain digital data for this report.
The Switch 2’sstrong performance is a clear indicator that Nintendo is regaining its footing. But the broader market’s tepid response to a wave of new releases suggests a cautious consumer. The question isn’t if the market will recover, but when.