The global market for gaming software has been expanding at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years, and analysts expect that momentum to persist for the next four-year period. Despite this healthy overall growth, player behavior reveals a striking preference for the familiar: about two‑thirds of gamers say they gravitate toward existing franchises or sequels, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new titles. These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 players across a broad range of regions and demographics. The survey uncovered a widespread dissatisfaction with what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market—games that are overly generic, safe, or shallow and therefore fail to capture attention.
To illustrate the contrast, Bain & Co compared two recent releases. "Baldur’s Gate 3" succeeded by aiming at a narrowly defined audience that craved deep role‑playing experiences, whereas "Concord" entered an already crowded hero‑shooter space and struggled to persuade players, many of whom were already invested in free‑to‑play ecosystems, to part with a $40 price tag. When the consultancy examined public data on 100 titles launched since 2023, it found that 83 % of games that pursued a specific player segment achieved commercial success, compared with just 50 % of titles that took a broader, less focused approach.
Player preferences for genre and play style are also highly fragmented. When asked to choose between story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated experiences, and multiplayer‑focused games, no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents. About 20 % said their choice depends on mood or that they treat the categories as roughly equal, while 17 % indicated they prefer other types of games or none of the listed options. The report highlights two major forces reshaping the industry today: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence.
Younger gamers, in particular, are devoting more of their leisure time to a narrower set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as a focal point that has become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years. On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines. However, Bain & Co warns that technology alone does not mitigate risk unless it is paired with a clear target audience. "AI lets you scale the wrong bet faster," the firm writes, emphasizing that the studios that will thrive are not necessarily those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks, but those that can articulate their ideal player in a single, concise sentence and commit to that vision earlier than their rivals.
Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has softened over the last year. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI’s role in development than they did twelve months ago, another 44 % say their comfort level is unchanged, and fewer than one in seven express increased discomfort.
Acceptance is especially high among teenagers: 59 % of respondents aged 13‑17 report greater comfort with AI, while 33 % say their opinion remains the same. "For studios worried that AI adoption carries reputational risk with their player base, this data suggests the window to move is open, particularly with the audiences who will define the market over the next decade," a Bain spokesperson noted. The firm also points out that AI can deepen developers’ understanding of their audiences. Emerging analytics tools can sift through engagement data, surface the elements that resonate most with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and players.
Personalisation, powered by AI, extends beyond analytics into concrete marketing actions. Tailored communications, custom advertisements, and individualized in‑game content have been shown to boost spending, especially among younger users.
In fact, 86 % of teenagers reported making at least one gaming‑related purchase each month, compared with just over half of players in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of those in their 70s. These purchases encompass new games, downloadable content, subscription services, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets. Direct‑to‑consumer sales are also on the rise. Nearly half of gamers indicated they buy directly from a developer’s web store 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 twelve months. Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice, summed up the strategic implication: "The question for gaming executives is no longer solely about reaching more players. It's reaching the right players, in the right way, and getting more ownership over that relationship." He added that the studios pulling ahead are those that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and have aligned every resource—including AI, distribution channels, and personalisation—behind that single, focused answer.