January 2025 proved to be a relatively quiet month in the video game industry, mirroring the typical lull often seen at the start of the year. Only one new title, Donkey Kong Country: Returns, managed to break into the top 20 best-selling games, highlighting the continued dominance of established franchises like Call of Duty. However, a surprising comeback story emerged, potentially altering perceptions of a previous year's underperformer: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth.

Initially released in February 2024, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth debuted at number two on Circana's US sales charts but steadily declined to number 17 by year's end. While respectable, these figures reportedly fell short of Square Enix's expectations, leading to speculation and unannounced sales figures. The game's initial PlayStation 5 exclusivity was often cited as a potential factor hindering its broader sales potential compared to cross-platform competitors like Dragon's Dogma 2 and its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII: Remake.

The January 2025 release of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth on Steam marked a significant turning point. The PC launch propelled the title to number three on the Circana charts, a dramatic jump from its December position at number 56. The Final Fantasy VII: Remake & Rebirth Twin Pack also saw a substantial increase, rising from number 265 to number 16. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella highlighted the game's "fantastic" Steam launch, noting it was the best-selling game of the week ending January 25th in the US market.

This US success likely reflects similar international performance, potentially influencing Square Enix's future cross-platform release strategies. Piscatella commented on the situation, stating that while the impact on Square Enix's internal perception of the game's success is difficult to gauge, the consumer response to the Steam launch was overwhelmingly positive. He further emphasized the growing trend of PC releases becoming increasingly vital for third-party publishers, making single-platform exclusivity less viable without substantial platform incentives.

The remainder of the top 20 remained largely predictable, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Madden NFL 25 securing the top two spots. Donkey Kong Country: Returns, relying solely on physical sales due to Nintendo's non-disclosure of digital sales data, achieved number eight. The return of It Takes Two to the top 20 (number 20) is attributed to ongoing promotions, particularly during the last week of January, and steady sales throughout the month, potentially boosted by anticipation for Hazelight Studios' upcoming title, Split Fiction.

January 2025's overall game spending figures showed a decline compared to the previous year, partially attributed to a shorter tracking period (four weeks versus five). Total spending fell 15% to $4.5 billion, with accessories, content, and hardware spending all experiencing significant year-over-year decreases. Despite the overall downturn, the PlayStation 5 remained the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollar sales.

The top 20 best-selling games in the US for January 2025 (based on dollar sales) were:

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
2. Madden NFL 25
3. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
4. EA Sports FC 25
5. Minecraft*
6. Marvel's Spider-Man 2
7. EA Sports College Football 25
8. Donkey Kong Country Returns*
9. Hogwarts Legacy
10. Sonic Generations
11. Helldivers II
12. Astro Bot
13. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
14. Super Mario Party Jamboree*
15. Elden Ring
16. Final Fantasy VII Remake & Rebirth Twin Pack
17. Mario Kart 8*
18. The Crew: Motorfest
19. UFC 5
20. It Takes Two

*Indicates that some or all digital sales are not included in Circana's data. Some publishers, including Nintendo and Take-Two, do not share certain digital data for this report.