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 continue for another four‑year stretch. Yet, despite this healthy financial backdrop, player behavior shows a pronounced preference for the familiar.
According to the latest annual Gaming Report from Bain & Company, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across the globe, two‑thirds of participants say they gravitate toward established franchises or sequels, while only one in five actively look for brand‑new titles. Survey respondents also voiced frustration with what they termed the “unfocused middle” of the market – games that feel overly generic, safe, and shallow, and therefore fail to capture attention.
To illustrate the point, Bain & Co contrasted the market reception of two recent releases: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*. *Baldur’s Gate 3* succeeded by zeroing in on a narrowly defined audience that craved deep role‑playing experiences, whereas *Concord* entered an already crowded hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players, many of whom were already committed to free‑to‑play ecosystems, to spend a full $40 on the product. When the firm examined public data for 100 games launched since 2023, the findings were stark.
Focused titles that targeted a specific player segment achieved commercial success in 83 % of cases, compared with just 50 % for games that lacked a clear focus. This suggests that a well‑defined target audience is a far more reliable predictor of revenue than simply having a large budget or broad appeal. Player preferences across genres are highly fragmented as well. When asked which type of experience they favored – narrative‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer – no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents.
About 20 % said their choice varied depending on mood or that the categories were roughly equal for them, while 17 % indicated they preferred other or niche game types. The report also highlighted two major forces reshaping the industry: growing player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a smaller set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as the de‑facto hub of the ecosystem over the past five years.
This concentration gives developers a clearer view of where the community’s attention lies, but also raises the stakes for delivering experiences that meet heightened standards. On the AI front, Bain & Co observed that studios are increasingly leveraging generative tools to accelerate development pipelines.
However, the firm cautioned that without a precise player profile, AI can simply amplify the wrong bets faster. "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," the report stated. Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has improved noticeably over the past year.
Forty‑two percent of respondents said they feel more comfortable with AI’s role in the industry than they did twelve months ago, another 44 % said their comfort level remained unchanged, and fewer than one in seven expressed increased discomfort. The trend is especially pronounced among teenagers: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 reported greater comfort with AI this year, while 33 % said their view was unchanged. Bain & Co’s analysts interpret these findings as a green light for studios hesitant about AI’s reputational risk.
"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," the firm noted. Moreover, AI can serve as a powerful analytics engine, helping developers decode engagement patterns, surface what resonates with a target cohort, and tighten feedback loops between creators and communities. Personalisation is another lever that the report finds increasingly effective. Tailored communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content can boost spending, especially among younger demographics.
In fact, 86 % 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. These activities encompass purchases of new games, downloadable content, subscriptions, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets.
Direct‑to‑developer sales are also on the rise. 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. The propensity to purchase directly is strongest among the youngest cohort, with 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reporting multiple direct purchases in the past twelve months.
Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain & Co’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 studios that are pulling ahead are those that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and have aligned every resource – from AI tools to distribution channels to personalisation strategies – behind that single, focused answer.