January 2026 was a big month on the PlayStation Store, with players gravitating toward extraction shooters, sports sims, and free-to-play fighters. According to O’Dell Harmon, Content Communication Specialist, Sony Interactive Entertainment, the data showed which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped the monthly download charts.
“It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped last month’s download charts,” he said.
“January saw players continue to scavenge, fight, and extract in Arc Raiders, which topped the US PS5 charts, while players in the EU prepared for the World Cup with EA Sports FC 26. The new fighter 2XKO debuted in the top three on the free-to-play charts,” he added.
Across PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play charts, familiar franchises held strong, while newer titles like ARC Raiders and 2XKO made major waves.
In the US and Canada, ARC Raiders emerged as the most downloaded PS5 game, while in Europe, football fans pushed EA Sports FC 26 to the top spot as World Cup buzz continued to grow. Meanwhile, Riot Games’ upcoming fighter 2XKO debuted in the top three across the free-to-play charts, a strong signal that competitive brawlers are back in demand.
Emmanuel Umahi
PS5 Top Downloads — January 2026
In North America, ARC Raiders led the charge, confirming the strong appetite for co-op survival and extraction-style shooters. Grand Theft Auto V continued its evergreen run, while NBA 2K26, Minecraft, and Madden NFL 26 rounded out the top five. Competitive staples like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, UFC 5, and Forza Horizon 5 also remained near the top, showing that shooters, sports, and racing still dominate PS5 player time.
Europe has quite different gameplay, as EA Sports FC 26 took first place, driven by football season momentum and World Cup anticipation. ARC Raiders landed second, followed closely by Grand Theft Auto V. Story-driven favourites like It Takes Two, Hogwarts Legacy, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt also charted strongly, alongside racing hits like Forza Horizon 5 and The Crew Motorfest.
Across both regions, the PS5 charts show a blend of live-service shooters, sports juggernauts, and long-lasting open-world games, with ARC Raiders standing out as January’s breakout title.
PS4 Top Downloads — January 2026
On PS4, older hits continued to dominate. In the US and Canada stores, Red Dead Redemption 2 topped the charts, followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Minecraft, and Batman: Arkham Knight. Multiplayer staples like STAR WARS Battlefront II, Gang Beasts, and Mortal Kombat X remained popular, proving that competitive and co-op experiences still thrive on last-gen hardware.
Europe has Red Dead Redemption 2 claiming the first place, with EA Sports FC 26, A Way Out, and Minecraft close behind. Story-heavy adventures like God of War, Unravel Two, and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition performed strongly, alongside evergreen multiplayer titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops III and theHunter: Call of the Wild.
The PS4 charts continue to reflect long-term engagement with legacy titles rather than brand-new releases, a reminder of just how deep Sony’s last-gen install base still runs.
PS VR2 Top Downloads — January 2026
Virtual reality players leaned heavily into rhythm, simulation, and survival experiences. In the US and Canada, Beat Saber once again topped the charts, followed by Job Simulator and Among Us 3D: VR. Horror and survival fans showed up for Alien: Rogue Incursion VR, Arizona Sunshine Remake, and Metro Awakening, while action-focused titles like Swordsman VR and Pavlov rounded out the list.
Job Simulator took the top spot in the European store, just edging out Beat Saber, with Among Us 3D: VR again holding strong. Narrative-driven VR experiences like Horizon Call of the Mountain and Metro Awakening also ranked high, suggesting growing demand for deeper, story-based VR content alongside arcade-style staples.
Overall, PS VR2 players in January split their time between comfort picks and atmospheric adventures, with rhythm games still king.
Free-to-Play Top Downloads (PS5 + PS4) — January 2026
Free-to-play gaming stayed as competitive as ever. US and Canadian stores showed that Fortnite and Roblox once again dominated, with 2XKO debuting in third place, a strong early showing for Riot Games’ upcoming tag-team fighter. Marvel Rivals, Rocket League, and Call of Duty: Warzone also ranked highly, alongside newer entries like Highguard and Where Winds Meet (F2P).
Further, Fortnite and Roblox still ruled the top two spots in Europe, but Rocket League edged into third. 2XKO also charted strongly here, alongside staples like Warzone, eFootball, and Rainbow Six Siege X – Free Access. Mobile-inspired titles like Arknights: Endfield and racing hit Asphalt Legends rounded out the rankings.
The big story here is 2XKO’s immediate impact—breaking into the top charts in both regions before full release hype peaks, signalling strong interest in competitive free-to-play fighters.
What January’s Charts Say About PlayStation Players
Across platforms, January 2026 highlighted three major trends:
- First, extraction shooters and live-service games continue to dominate. The rise of ARC Raiders to the top of the PS5 charts shows players are hungry for co-op survival experiences that blend PvE and PvP tension.
- Second, sports games remain seasonal juggernauts, with EA Sports FC 26, NBA 2K26, and Madden NFL 26 holding strong across regions and generations.
- Third, free-to-play ecosystems are only growing, with Fortnite and Roblox maintaining dominance and newcomers like 2XKO quickly carving out space.
January 2026’s PlayStation Store charts show a player base split between live-service shooters, evergreen blockbusters, and competitive free-to-play titles, with ARC Raiders emerging as the month’s standout hit and 2XKO proving there’s still a massive appetite for new fighting games. Whether you’re on PS5, PS4, PS VR2, or free-to-play, one thing’s clear: PlayStation players are starting the year hungry for action, competition, and co-op chaos
Emmanuel Umahi
