According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, which will be released in full on September 10, the worldwide video‑game industry is on track to expand by 6.1% over the next year, bringing total revenue to an estimated $213.9 billion. More than half of this spending is expected to come from two powerhouses: China and the United States, underscoring the continued dominance of these markets in shaping global gaming trends. The report breaks down the forecast by platform, starting with consoles. Console revenue is projected to hit $46.9 billion, representing roughly 22 % of the overall market and reflecting a 5.1 % year‑on‑year increase.
A key driver behind this uplift is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ next‑generation title, Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo predicts that the new installment will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 %, marking the strongest growth among all business models in the sector. Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, accounting for 57 % of total revenue and expected to generate $121.1 billion in 2026.
This 6.8 % annual rise is fueled by two converging forces: higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. Recent research from FastSpring and Omdia shows that 96 % of game studios either already run a D2C storefront or plan to launch one.
Developers cite greater brand visibility, deeper player loyalty, and direct access to first‑party data as the primary incentives for moving away from traditional platform gatekeepers. The PC segment, while smaller, still commands a significant share of the market at $45.9 billion, or 21 % of total revenues. Growth on this platform is expected to slow to 5.3 % year‑on‑year, a noticeable dip from the 12 % compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that Newzoo had projected for 2025.
Nevertheless, the report highlights that PC growth will be geographically diverse, with strong performance anticipated across the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. When it comes to monetisation models, premium and mid‑priced titles are slated to continue supporting full‑game revenue streams. At the same time, microtransactions are forecast to reclaim their position as the largest business model overall, driven by the continued popularity of in‑game purchases across all platforms.
This shift suggests that developers will keep balancing high‑quality, full‑price releases with ongoing revenue opportunities through smaller, recurring purchases. Player numbers are also a focal point of the forecast. Newzoo expects the global player base to grow more modestly after 2026, slowing from a 4.4 % year‑on‑year increase to a 3.2 % CAGR through 2029. By the end of the forecast period, the total number of gamers worldwide is projected to reach 4.07 billion.
The bulk of these players—approximately 3.10 billion, or 84 % of the total—will be on mobile devices. PC gamers are expected to number around 977 million (about 26 % of the total), while console players will reach roughly 651 million (18 %).
Newzoo cautions that future expansion will rely increasingly on retaining and monetising existing audiences rather than simply adding new users. This perspective reflects the reality that market penetration is approaching its practical limits; player penetration is forecast to edge up from 61.5 % to 62 % in 2026.
The modest rise indicates that there is limited room for growth through deeper market saturation, and that most of the remaining upside will come from the overall online population, which is expected to expand by 3.5 % to 5.97 billion people. Growth is already concentrated in emerging regions, with Asia‑Pacific remaining the largest market and the Middle East and Africa posting the fastest expansion rates. These areas are benefiting from improving internet infrastructure, increasing smartphone adoption, and a growing middle class with disposable income for entertainment. In summary, Newzoo’s outlook paints a picture of a maturing industry that is still expanding, albeit at a slower pace than in the explosive growth years of the early 2010s.
The combination of a blockbuster console release, the continued rise of mobile gaming, and the strategic shift toward D2C sales channels suggests that developers and publishers will need to be agile, focusing on both high‑impact releases and sustained engagement strategies to capture value from an increasingly sophisticated and diversified player base.