The worldwide 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 horizon. Yet, beneath this overall growth, player behavior shows a pronounced preference for the familiar: about two‑thirds of gamers say they gravitate toward established franchises or sequels, while only one in five actively looks for brand‑new releases.
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 deep sense of disappointment with what the firm describes as the "unfocused middle" of the market—games that are overly generic, safe, and lacking in depth, making it difficult for them to stand out in a crowded landscape.
To illustrate this phenomenon, Bain & Co compared the market reception of two recent titles: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*. *Baldur’s Gate 3* succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering a deep, narrative‑driven experience that resonated strongly with that segment. In contrast, *Concord* entered an already saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players who were accustomed to free‑to‑play ecosystems to shell out a $40 price tag. The contrast underscores the report’s central thesis: specificity beats breadth.
When the researchers examined public data on 100 games launched since 2023, they discovered that 83 % of titles that were sharply targeted at a particular player type managed to achieve commercial success. By comparison, only half of the games that took a broader, less focused approach reached similar financial outcomes. This stark disparity highlights the commercial risk of trying to please everyone.
Player preferences for genre and play style are also highly fragmented. When respondents were asked which type of experience they favored—story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer—no single category captured more than 26 % of the vote. About 20 % said their choice varied depending on mood or the specific game, while 17 % either selected "none of the above" or mentioned other niche categories.
The data suggests that a one‑size‑fits‑all strategy is increasingly untenable. The report also identified two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player demand for richer experiences and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their time on a limited 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.
This concentration amplifies the importance of understanding and serving a tightly defined audience. On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines, create assets, and even prototype gameplay mechanics. However, Bain & Co warns that without a clear target player, AI can merely amplify the wrong bets, allowing studios to scale unappealing concepts faster rather than mitigating risk. As the firm puts it, "the developers that come out ahead over the next several years won’t be the ones with the biggest budgets or the most sophisticated AI capabilities.
They’ll be the ones that commit—earlier than their competitors—to building for a player they can describe in a single sentence." Player sentiment toward AI in game development has softened over the past year. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI’s role in the industry 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 the youngest cohort: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 report greater comfort with AI this year, while 33 % say their view remains the same. Bain & Co interprets these findings as a green light for studios that have been hesitant to adopt AI out of fear of reputational damage. The data suggests that the window to integrate AI responsibly—and to communicate its benefits to a receptive audience—is wide open, particularly for the demographic that will shape the market in the coming decade.
Beyond production efficiencies, AI offers powerful tools for deepening player understanding. Advanced analytics can parse engagement patterns, surface the elements that resonate most with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between developers and their communities. This capability enables highly personalized experiences, from tailored in‑game offers and bespoke advertising to custom content that reflects individual player preferences.
Such personalization appears to drive spending, especially among teenagers. The report notes that 86 % of players aged 13‑17 report monthly expenditures on gaming‑related activities, compared with just over half of those in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of those in their 70s.
Gaming‑related spending includes purchases of new titles, downloadable content, subscription services, and streamer tips, but excludes hardware like 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 in the past year, and 27 % said they made such purchases repeatedly. The trend is strongest among the youngest players: 40 % of those aged 13‑17 have made multiple direct purchases in the last twelve months.
Anders Christofferson, global lead of Bain & Co’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice, sums up the strategic implication: "The question for gaming executives is no longer solely about reaching more players. It’s about reaching the right players, in the right way, and gaining greater ownership over 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—AI, distribution, personalization—behind that answer."