Best-selling video games of 2026 so far: Resident Evil Requiem leads, GTA 6 is coming

Key figures

How we built this ranking

There is no single official worldwide chart for video game sales. Two kinds of data exist, and we use both:

• Circana's US ranking, the industry reference, which ranks games by dollar sales in the United States across consoles and major PC stores. Its year-to-date chart through August 2026 was published in October.
• Worldwide unit sales announced by publishers (Capcom, Pearl Abyss, IO Interactive, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company). These are official, but each publisher announces its figures on a different date.

Games included in subscriptions such as Game Pass are partly invisible in sales charts, which is why a hit like Forza Horizon 6 can rank lower than its popularity suggests.

The 2026 top 10 in the US (January to August)

Source: Circana, US dollar sales, year to date through August 2026, as reported by GamesBeat. Nintendo does not share digital sales with Circana, so its games are underestimated in this chart.

The year's biggest hits, one by one

1. Resident Evil Requiem (Capcom)

Released at the end of February, the ninth main Resident Evil topped the US charts from its first month. Capcom announced 6 million copies in mid-March, the fastest pace in the series' history, then more than 8 million by June 30. Its success confirms the strength of Capcom's modern remakes and sequels, built on the RE Engine.

2. 007 First Light (IO Interactive)

The Hitman studio's James Bond origin story sold 1.5 million copies in 24 hours and 4 million within three months, IO Interactive announced on August 20. It is the studio's biggest launch, and a rare success for a new licensed action game. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is scheduled for March 18, 2027, according to IO Interactive.

3. Crimson Desert (Pearl Abyss)

The open-world action game from the makers of Black Desert launched on March 19 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. It passed 2 million copies within days and 6 million in 83 days, a remarkable result for a new Korean franchise in the West.

4. Pokémon Pokopia (Nintendo, The Pokémon Company)

This life-simulation spin-off, exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, launched on March 5 and passed 5 million units worldwide in just over four months. Because Nintendo does not share digital sales with Circana, its real popularity is higher than its 10th place in the US chart suggests.

5. Forza Horizon 6 (Microsoft)

The open-world racing game set in Japan launched in May on Xbox and PC, and on Game Pass from day one. Analytics firm Alinea estimated about 6.4 million copies sold by June 1, plus more than 6 million players through Game Pass. These are estimates, not Microsoft figures, and the PS5 version was not yet released at the time.

Also in the top 10

• NBA 2K27 and MLB The Show 26: sports games remain annual best sellers in the US; NBA 2K27 was number one in August.
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7: last autumn's Call of Duty still sells strongly ten months after release.
• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream and LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight: two family-friendly hits.

What the numbers say about 2026

• A soft market: US spending on video games fell 3 % from January to August 2026, and hardware spending fell 11 %, according to Circana. Big releases still sell, but average players buy fewer games.
• New franchises can win: Crimson Desert and 007 First Light show that new games can reach the top, not only sequels.
• Switch 2 is driving Nintendo: Pokopia proves that Nintendo's new console has a strong audience, and Mario Kart World, its launch game, passed 15 million copies by June 2026.
• Subscriptions blur the picture: Game Pass launches such as Forza Horizon 6 reach millions of players who never appear in sales charts.

GTA 6 will change everything in November

Grand Theft Auto VI launches on November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Analysts at Newzoo expect 37 to 51 million copies in its first week, which would make it the year's best-selling game within days. Take-Two expects record net bookings of $8.0 to $8.2 billion for its fiscal year ending March 2027, largely because of the game. Read our complete GTA 6 release guide and our GTA 6 console guide to prepare.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best-selling game of 2026? In the US, Resident Evil Requiem, according to Circana's year-to-date chart through August. Worldwide, Capcom's figure of more than 8 million copies is also the highest announced for a 2026 release.

Why is Pokémon Pokopia only 10th? Circana's US chart does not include Nintendo's digital sales, and Pokopia is a Switch 2 exclusive. Its 5 million worldwide sales put it among the year's biggest hits.

Is Forza Horizon 6 a success? Yes. Estimates suggest more than 6 million copies sold in its first weeks, plus millions of players on Game Pass.

Will GTA 6 be the best-selling game of 2026? Almost certainly. Analysts expect it to outsell every other 2026 release in its launch week.

Verdict

2026 has been the year of Resident Evil Requiem, with more than 8 million copies, and of two surprising newcomers, 007 First Light and Crimson Desert. Nintendo adds its own hits with Pokémon Pokopia and Tomodachi Life, while sports games keep their usual place in the US top 10. The ranking will change dramatically after November 19, when GTA 6 arrives. For the games released each month, see our September 2026 selection and our October 2026 release calendar; for the all-time records, read the 10 best-selling video games of all time.

This ranking is based on Circana data and official publisher announcements reported by the outlets listed in our sources. Figures are updated at different dates by each publisher.