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 continue for at least another four‑year horizon. Despite this overall growth, player behaviour shows a strong bias toward the familiar: about two‑thirds of gamers say they gravitate toward sequels or titles that feel recognizable, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new releases. These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad geographic spread. The survey highlighted a pervasive sense of disappointment with what respondents dubbed the "unfocused middle" – games that are overly generic, safe, and lacking depth, and therefore fail to capture attention.
To illustrate the contrast, Bain & Co compared two recent launches. "Baldur’s Gate 3" succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience that craved deep role‑playing experiences, whereas "Concord" entered an already saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players who were accustomed to free‑to‑play models to spend a full $40 on the product. The firm’s analysis of public data for 100 titles released since 2023 reinforced this point: 83 % of games that targeted a specific player segment achieved commercial success, compared with just 50 % of titles that took a broader, less focused approach. Player preferences for genre also appear fragmented.
When asked to choose between story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox experiences with user‑generated content, or multiplayer‑focused games, no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents. About one‑fifth said their choice depends on mood or that the categories are roughly equal, and 17 % indicated they either play other types of games or do not fit into any of the listed categories. The report also identified two major forces reshaping the industry: growing player demand for deeper experiences and the rapid adoption of generative AI in development pipelines. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their time on a narrower set of platforms – with Roblox cited as the emerging "center of gravity" for the ecosystem over the past five years.
Regarding AI, Bain & Co observed that developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate production, but warned that without a clear target audience, speed alone does not mitigate risk. "It lets you scale the wrong bet faster," the firm wrote.
Instead, the analysts argue that the studios that will thrive are those that can articulate their ideal player in a single sentence and commit to that vision earlier than competitors, regardless of budget size or AI sophistication. Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has softened over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of respondents now feel more comfortable with AI usage than they did a year ago, another 44 % feel unchanged, and fewer than one in seven express increased discomfort. Acceptance is especially high among teenagers: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 report greater comfort with AI, while 33 % say their opinion remains the same.
Bain & Co’s senior partner Anders Christofferson interprets these trends as a signal that the window for AI adoption is wide open, particularly for the demographic that will shape the market in the next decade. He notes that AI can also provide developers with richer insights into player behaviour.
Emerging analytics tools can dissect engagement patterns, surface the elements that resonate most with a target audience, and create tighter feedback loops between studios and their communities. Such capabilities enable highly personalised experiences – from custom‑tailored communications and advertisements to in‑game content that speaks directly to individual preferences. The report found that personalization drives higher spend, especially among younger gamers. Eighty‑six percent 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, subscriptions, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware like consoles or VR headsets. Direct sales channels are also gaining traction.
Nearly half of all gamers purchase directly from a developer’s own web store at least once per year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. The tendency is strongest among the youngest cohort: 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases in the past year.
Christofferson concludes that the strategic question for gaming executives has shifted. It is no longer solely about expanding the audience base; it is about identifying the right audience, engaging them in a meaningful way, and building ownership of that relationship. Studios that succeed will be those that make a deliberate, data‑informed decision about who they are building for and align every resource – from AI tools to distribution strategies to personalization efforts – around that single, focused answer.