The worldwide revenue generated by gaming software has risen at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years, and analysts anticipate this momentum will persist for the next four-year period. Yet, despite this expanding market, player behavior reveals a surprisingly cautious attitude toward novel experiences.
According to Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report—based on a survey of more than 5,300 gamers across the globe—about two‑thirds of respondents prefer familiar franchises or sequels, and only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new titles. The research highlighted a pervasive sense of disappointment with what the firm describes as the "unfocused middle" of the market: games that are overly generic, safe, and lacking a distinctive identity.
To illustrate the point, Bain & Co contrasted the reception of two very different releases. Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience, delivering a deep, narrative‑driven experience that resonated with players who value story and role‑playing depth. In stark contrast, the shooter Concord entered an already saturated hero‑shooter space and struggled to persuade players who were accustomed to free‑to‑play models to part with a $40 price tag.
When the consultancy examined public data for 100 titles launched since 2023, the findings were striking. Focused games—those aimed at a clearly identified player segment—achieved commercial success in 83 % of cases, whereas only half of the less‑targeted, broader‑appeal titles managed to turn a profit.
This gap underscores the importance of a well‑defined value proposition in a fragmented market. Player preferences themselves are split across several categories.
When asked which type of experience they favoured—story‑driven adventures, open sandbox or user‑generated content, or multiplayer competition—no single option captured more than 26 % of the vote. About 20 % of respondents said their preference varies depending on mood or the specific game, and 17 % indicated they either do not fit into these categories or prefer other genres altogether.
The report also identified two major forces reshaping the industry: increasing demand from a younger, more engaged player base, and the growing adoption of generative AI in game development. Younger gamers are concentrating their playtime on a narrower set of platforms, with titles like Roblox becoming the "centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years, according to Bain. On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative technologies to accelerate production pipelines. However, the consultancy cautions that without a precise player target, AI can simply amplify the speed of a misguided bet: "It lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The firms that are projected to thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI tools, but those that commit early to building for a player profile they can describe in a single sentence.
Attitudes toward AI in development have softened over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of survey participants reported feeling more comfortable with the industry’s use of AI than a year ago, an additional 44 % said their view remained unchanged, and fewer than one‑in‑seven expressed increased discomfort. Acceptance is especially high among younger gamers: 59 % of respondents aged 13‑17 indicated a higher comfort level with AI this year, while 33 % said their opinion stayed the same. Bain’s Anders Christofferson, global lead for the firm’s Video Game sector, interpreted the data as a signal that studios should view AI adoption as a timely opportunity, particularly for the demographic that will shape the market over the next decade.
"AI can also help developers more deeply understand their players," he noted, adding that a growing suite of analytical tools can surface engagement patterns, highlight what resonates with a target audience, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and the community. One tangible outcome of these tools is the ability to deliver personalized offers—customized messaging, tailored advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content—directed at individual players. The report found that such personalization drives higher spending, especially among teenagers.
Eighty‑six percent of gamers aged 13‑17 reported spending money on gaming‑related activities each month, compared with just over 50 % of those in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of those in their 70s. These activities encompass purchases of new games, downloadable content, subscriptions, and tips for streamers, but exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets. Direct purchases from developers’ own web stores are also on the rise. Nearly half of all gamers reported buying directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly.
The trend is most pronounced among the youngest cohort: 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases in the past year. Christofferson summed up the strategic implication for gaming executives: the challenge is no longer solely about expanding the audience, but about reaching the right audience, engaging them in the right way, and gaining greater ownership of that relationship.
"The studios pulling ahead are the ones that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and are aligning every resource behind that answer; AI, distribution, and personalisation alike," he concluded.