Google Trends Game Report: JANUARY 2026

Here are the top 25 video games by search trend volume in the U.S. for January 2026:

1Roblox (Consistently the #1 searched gaming entity in the US)
2Fortnite (Driven by the "Chapter 7" mid-season event)
3Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch 2 Edition launch and 3.0 update)
4Minecraft (Sustained volume)
5Grand Theft Auto VI (Sustained "Upcoming" trend volume)
6Hytale (Massive breakout following its January 13 release)
7Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S launch)
8Code Vein II (Highly anticipated Bandai Namco sequel)
9MIO: Memories in Orbit (The month's top-trending indie breakout)
10Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (Primary competitive shooter search)
11Highguard (New hero shooter from Respawn Entertainment veterans)
12Cairn (Hardcore climbing survival sim; viral on Twitch and social)
13Pathologic 3 (Leading the "Psychological Horror" trend for January)
14The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin (Open-world anime RPG launch)
15Dynasty Warriors: Origins (Major franchise refresh for PS5 and Switch 2)
16Arknights: Endfield (Tactical RPG transition to console)
17Resident Evil Requiem (Spiked late-month due to demo rumors)
18Valorant (Boosted by "Episode 12" content updates)
19BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW (Surprise horror hit in the US market)
20League of Legends (Driven by the 2XKO fighting game cross-promotion)
21The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon (Major JRPG release)
22EA Sports FC 26 (Standard high-volume sports engagement)
23Dispatch (Superhero narrative game; nominated at TGA 2025)
24StarRupture (Automation survival game with high US interest)
25I Hate This Place (Indie isometric horror trending in late January)

Based on search data and industry reporting for January 2026, there is a fascinating mix of viral browser games, mobile hits, and highly anticipated console/PC releases.

While Google Trends doesn't provide a single "official" Top 25 list in one place, the following games represent the most significant spikes and sustained search volume for the month:

---------------
The "Viral & Browser" Leaders
---------------

These games saw the highest raw search volume, often driven by social media trends and "instant play" platforms. Not limited to the United States.

Polytrack – A low-poly racer that exploded in popularity this month.
Block Blast – A Tetris-style puzzle game currently dominating mobile and web searches.
Garden Gnome Game – A Google Doodle classic that saw a massive resurgence.
Escape Road – A high-speed police chase driving game.
Spacebar Clicker – A leading title in the trending "incremental/clicker" genre.
Capybara Clicker – Another viral incremental game capitalizing on the capybara trend.

---------------
Top Trending New Releases
---------------

The following games were searched heavily due to their release dates or early access launches in January. Not limited to the United States.

1. Hytale – After years of anticipation, its January 13th launch made it the most searched "new" game.
2. Code Vein II – The highly anticipated souls-like sequel from Bandai Namco.
3. Arc Raiders – An extraction shooter that has maintained massive momentum since late 2025.
4. Highguard – A new competitive hero shooter from the creators of Apex Legends.
5. MIO: Memories in Orbit – A visually stunning Metroidvania that became an indie breakout.
6. DuneCrawl – A cooperative action-adventure game released on January 5.
7. StarRupture – An automation/survival game that entered early access.
8. Pathologic 3 – A psychological horror title that spiked in search interest mid-month.

---------------
Mobile & Live-Service Heavyweights
---------------
These games remain in the top tier of Google Trends due to major January updates or sheer player base size. Not limited to the United States.

1. Roblox – Consistently one of the top 3 most searched terms globally.
2. Fortnite – Search interest spiked around the mid-month "Chapter 7" updates.
3. Minecraft – Sustained high volume, boosted by news regarding the upcoming movie.
4. Royal Kingdom – A match-3 game that saw a 50+ spot jump in popularity this month.
5. Genshin Impact – Spiked due to the "Song of the Empty Moon: Finale" update.
6. Last War: Survival – One of the highest-trending strategy games on the Play Store.
7. Valorant Mobile – Search interest surged following new region beta tests.

------------
------------
------------
------------

This report was put together using Gemini and Google Trends. They seem to work well together and what you get is like having a good research department. I'll try to keep this up as a monthly feature.

questions, comments: ljbaby654@gmail.com