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 this trajectory to continue for the next four-year period. Despite this healthy overall growth, player behavior reveals a strong preference for familiar experiences.
According to Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report—based on a survey of more than 5,300 gamers from around the world—about two‑thirds of respondents say they gravitate toward titles they already know, such as sequels or established franchises, while only one in five actively look for brand‑new games. Survey participants voiced frustration with what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market.
These are games that play it safe, offering generic mechanics and shallow content that fail to differentiate themselves. To illustrate the impact of focus, Bain & Co compared two recent releases: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*. *Baldur’s Gate 3* succeeded by aiming at a narrowly defined audience of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering deep narrative and complex systems that resonated strongly with that group.
In contrast, *Concord* entered an already saturated hero‑shooter space and struggled to convince players, many of whom were accustomed to free‑to‑play models, to spend the full $40 price tag. When the researchers examined public performance data for 100 games launched since 2023, the pattern held firm: 83 % of titles that targeted a specific player segment reached commercial success, whereas only half of the broadly aimed, unfocused titles hit comparable sales milestones. This suggests that a clear, well‑defined audience is a more reliable predictor of financial performance than a blanket approach.
Player preferences across genres are also highly fragmented. When asked to choose their favorite type of experience—story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or multiplayer competition—no single category captured more than 26 % of the vote.
About 20 % of respondents said their preference shifts depending on mood or that they enjoy all categories equally, while 17 % either selected "none of the above" or mentioned other niche genres. The data paints a picture of a diverse audience whose tastes cannot be lumped into a single dominant style.
Beyond player tastes, Bain & Co identified two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative AI. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their time on a limited set of platforms, with Roblox highlighted 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 delivering compelling, targeted experiences on those flagship services.
Generative AI is another game‑changer. Developers are increasingly leveraging AI tools to accelerate content creation, level design, and even narrative generation.
However, the report warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk unless it is paired with a clear player target. As Bain & Co puts it, AI "lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The firms that will thrive, according to the study, are not necessarily those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI pipelines, but those that commit early to building for a player profile that can be described succinctly—"a single sentence"—and then align all resources—AI, distribution, personalization—around that vision.
Player sentiment toward AI in game development has become more favorable over the past year. Forty‑two percent of respondents indicated they feel more comfortable with AI use in games than they did twelve months ago, another 44 % said their comfort level remained unchanged, and fewer than one in seven expressed increased discomfort. Acceptance is especially high among the youngest cohort: 59 % of gamers aged 13‑17 reported greater comfort with AI this year, while 33 % said their view stayed the same.
The report’s authors argue that this growing acceptance opens a window for studios worried about reputational risk. "For studios concerned that AI adoption could alienate their player base, the data suggests the timing is right to move forward, particularly with the audiences that will shape the market over the next decade," noted a Bain & Co spokesperson.
AI also offers new ways to understand and engage players. Emerging analytics tools can dissect engagement patterns, surface the elements that resonate most with a target audience, and create tighter feedback loops between developers and their communities. This capability enables highly personalized marketing—customized communications, ads, and in‑game offers tailored to individual preferences. Bain & Co found that such personalization drives higher spending, especially among teenage players.
Indeed, spending habits vary sharply by age. Eighty‑six percent of teenagers reported spending money on gaming‑related activities 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 purchases of new titles, downloadable content, subscriptions, and even 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 said they buy directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly.
This behavior is most pronounced among younger gamers: 40 % of respondents aged 13‑17 reported making multiple direct purchases in the past year. Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain & Co’s Video Game practice and partner in its Media & Entertainment division, 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. 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 personalization alike."