According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game industry is on track to expand by 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenue to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of that consumer spend will continue to come from two powerhouse markets—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these regions in shaping global gaming trends. The full report, scheduled for release on September 10, provides a detailed breakdown of how different platforms and business models will contribute to the overall growth.
Console gaming, for instance, is expected to generate $46.9 billion, representing 22 percent of the total market and marking a 5.1 percent year‑over‑year increase. A key driver behind this uplift is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI.
Newzoo predicts that the new title will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, making it the strongest growth catalyst among all existing business models. Mobile gaming remains the sector’s juggernaut, projected to capture the largest slice of the market at 57 percent, or $121.1 billion in revenue. This segment’s growth of 6.8 percent YoY is fueled by two main forces: rising average spend per player and the accelerating adoption of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels.
A recent survey conducted by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that 96 percent of game studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C web stores. Studios cite enhanced brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and richer first‑party data as the primary motivations for moving away from traditional marketplace models. In contrast, the PC platform is slated to hold the smallest market share at 21 percent, translating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
While still growing—Newzoo estimates a 5.3 percent increase year‑over‑year—PC growth is expected to decelerate compared with the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) projected for 2025. The slowdown reflects a maturing ecosystem where premium and mid‑priced titles continue to sustain full‑game revenue, while microtransactions are poised to reclaim their status as the leading business model across all platforms.
Geographically, PC growth is anticipated to be broadly distributed, with the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets leading the expansion. These emerging markets are becoming increasingly important as the overall player base begins to plateau in more saturated regions. Newzoo predicts that the total number of gamers worldwide will rise to 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a 3.2 percent CAGR from 2026 onward.
This represents a modest slowdown from the 4.4 percent YoY increase expected in 2026, indicating that future growth will rely more on deepening engagement with existing players rather than simply adding new ones. Player penetration is also projected to inch upward, from 61.5 percent in 2025 to 62 percent in 2026.
However, Newzoo cautions that there is limited headroom for expanding the base through deeper market penetration; instead, growth will stem from the overall online population expanding by about 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people. Mobile gamers are expected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, accounting for roughly 84 percent of the total player community. PC gamers will reach approximately 977 million (about 26 percent of the total), while console players are forecast to number 651 million, representing 18 percent of the global audience. The report also highlights the strategic importance of retaining and monetising existing audiences.
As the pool of new players shrinks, studios will need to focus on increasing the lifetime value of current gamers through tactics such as subscription services, season passes, and ongoing content updates. The resurgence of microtransactions—especially in premium titles—suggests that developers are betting on a hybrid revenue approach that blends traditional full‑price sales with continual in‑game purchases. In summary, Newzoo’s outlook paints a picture of a robust yet evolving gaming landscape.
While mobile remains the dominant force, consoles are poised for a modest rebound thanks to blockbuster releases like Grand Theft Auto VI. PC, though smaller in share, will continue to grow in a geographically diverse manner, and the overall industry will increasingly depend on sophisticated monetisation strategies and deeper engagement with an ever‑expanding, but gradually saturating, global player base.