The global market for video‑game software has been expanding at a modest but steady pace, growing at an average compound annual rate of roughly three percent over the past four years. Analysts expect this trend to continue for at least another four‑year horizon, suggesting a durable, if not explosive, growth trajectory for the industry. Yet, beneath the headline numbers lies a striking behavioural pattern among players: the vast majority are gravitating toward familiar experiences rather than seeking out fresh, untested titles. In fact, Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad range of regions, reveals that only one in five respondents actively pursue new games.
Two‑thirds of the surveyed audience indicated a preference for sequels, established franchises, or titles that feel comfortably recognizable. The report highlights a pervasive sense of disappointment with what Bain & Co describes as the "unfocused middle" of the market – games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, lacking a distinctive identity that would make them stand out. To illustrate this phenomenon, the consultancy compared two recent releases: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*. *Baldur’s Gate 3* succeeded by aiming at a highly specific niche of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering deep narrative content and complex mechanics that resonated with that audience.
By contrast, *Concord* entered an already saturated hero‑shooter space and struggled to persuade players who were already committed to free‑to‑play ecosystems to spend $40 on a premium purchase. The divergent outcomes underscore the importance of targeting a well‑defined player segment rather than casting a wide, indistinct net. Bain & Co examined public performance data for 100 games launched since 2023. The analysis showed a stark contrast: 83 % of titles that were deliberately focused on a particular player type achieved commercial success, whereas only half (50 %) of the unfocused, broadly aimed games met similar financial thresholds.
This suggests that a clear creative vision and a precise audience definition are powerful predictors of market performance. Player preferences for game genres are also highly fragmented. When respondents were asked which type of experience they most enjoy – story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer – no single category captured more than 26 % of the vote.
About one‑fifth of gamers (20 %) said their choice depends on mood or that they treat the categories as roughly equal, while 17 % selected "none of the above" or offered alternative categories. The data paint a picture of a highly diversified audience whose tastes cannot be reduced to a single dominant genre.
Beyond player tastes, the report identifies two major forces reshaping the industry: rising demand from increasingly engaged players and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a limited set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as a central hub that has become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years. This concentration amplifies the importance of understanding the specific motivations of that core audience. Generative AI is also making its mark.
Developers are leveraging AI tools to accelerate content creation, streamline testing, and even generate procedural assets. However, Bain & Co warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk if the underlying product lacks a clear target audience.
As the firm puts it, AI "lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The consultants argue that the studios that will thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI pipelines. Instead, success will belong to the teams that, early on, define a player persona in a single, concise sentence and align every resource – from design to marketing – around that definition. Player sentiment toward AI in game development has become more favourable over the past twelve months.
In the survey, 42 % of participants reported increased comfort with the industry’s use of AI compared with a year earlier, another 44 % said their level of comfort remained unchanged, and fewer than one‑in‑seven expressed decreased comfort. The shift is especially pronounced among younger gamers: 59 % of respondents aged 13‑17 indicated they feel more comfortable with AI now, while 33 % said their view has stayed the same.
Bain & Co’s senior partner Anders Christofferson interprets these findings as a clear signal for studios: "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." He adds that AI can also serve as a powerful analytics engine, helping developers gain deeper insight into player behaviour, surface the aspects of a game that resonate most, and close the feedback loop between creators and the community. One practical application of AI‑driven insight is the ability to deliver highly personalised offers – customized communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content tailored to individual preferences.
Bain & Co found that such personalization boosts spending, especially among teenage players. In the study, 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. "Gaming‑related activities" encompass buying new titles, in‑game items, subscriptions, and even tipping streamers, but they exclude hardware purchases like consoles or VR headsets.
The report also sheds light on purchasing channels. Nearly half of all gamers said they buy directly from a developer’s web store at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. This direct‑to‑consumer behaviour is most pronounced among the youngest cohort: 40 % of players aged 13‑17 reported making multiple direct purchases in the past twelve months.
Such trends underscore the growing importance of owning the relationship with the end user, rather than relying solely on third‑party marketplaces. Christofferson summarises the strategic implication for industry leaders: "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 concludes that the studios pulling ahead are those that have made a deliberate decision about who they are building for and have aligned every facet of their operation – from AI tools to distribution strategies to personalization tactics – around that answer.
In summary, Bain & Co’s research paints a nuanced picture of a market where growth is steady but player attention is increasingly selective. Success appears to hinge on a laser‑focused understanding of a specific audience, the judicious use of AI to enhance—not replace—creative vision, and the cultivation of direct, personalised relationships with gamers. Studios that internalise these lessons are likely to outperform their peers as the industry continues to evolve over the next decade.