According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by roughly 6.1 percent over the next year, pushing total revenues to an estimated $213.9 billion by the end of 2026. The bulk of this spending will continue to be driven by two dominant markets—China and the United States—where more than half of all consumer outlays on games are expected to originate.
The full report, slated for public release on September 10, breaks down the forecast by platform, business model, and regional dynamics. Console sales alone are projected to generate $46.9 billion, representing about 22 percent of the total market and marking a 5.1 percent year‑over‑year increase.
A key catalyst for this uplift is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ flagship title, Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo estimates that the new installment will boost full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, making it the strongest growth driver among all existing business models.
Mobile gaming remains the dominant force, accounting for roughly 57 percent of global revenue and reaching $121.1 billion. This segment is expected to grow 6.8 percent compared with the previous year, a rise fueled by higher per‑player spend and the continued maturation of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. Recent research from FastSpring and Omdia highlights that 96 percent of game studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C web stores.
Developers cite improved brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and richer access to first‑party data as primary motivations for this shift. The PC platform, while still a substantial contributor, is forecast to hold the smallest share of the market at 21 percent, translating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
Growth on PC is expected to slow to 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, a noticeable dip from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) projected for 2025. Nonetheless, Newzoo anticipates that PC growth will be geographically diverse, with notable expansion across the Asia‑Pacific, Latin American, and Middle East‑Africa (MEA) regions. In terms of business models, premium and mid‑priced titles are expected to sustain the bulk of full‑game revenue, while microtransactions are poised to reclaim the top spot as the most lucrative model overall.
This shift reflects a broader industry trend toward hybrid monetisation strategies that blend upfront purchases with ongoing in‑game spending. Player numbers are also a focal point of the forecast. Newzoo predicts that the total global player base will reach 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a 3.2 percent CAGR after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026.
However, the firm warns that future expansion will rely increasingly on retaining and monetising existing gamers rather than simply adding new users. This sentiment is underscored by the observation that market growth is becoming more about deepening engagement with current audiences. Regional growth patterns reveal that emerging markets are the primary engines of expansion.
The Asia‑Pacific region continues to lead in terms of sheer volume, while the Middle East and Africa are the fastest‑growing areas in terms of percentage increase. Mobile gaming, in particular, is set to dominate player counts, with an estimated 3.10 billion mobile gamers in 2026—about 84 percent of the total gaming population.
PC gamers are projected to number 977 million (approximately 26 percent), and console players are expected to reach 651 million, representing 18 percent of all gamers. Player penetration is projected to edge up slightly from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026. Newzoo notes that the room for expanding the base through deeper market penetration is limited; instead, growth will largely reflect the overall increase in the global online population, which is expected to rise by 3.5 percent to roughly 5.97 billion people. Overall, the outlook paints a picture of a maturing industry where revenue growth is increasingly tied to sophisticated monetisation tactics, strategic D2C initiatives, and a focus on high‑value markets.
While the pace of new player acquisition may moderate, the combination of flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, continued mobile dominance, and expanding D2C ecosystems suggests that the global games market will remain a robust and evolving sector through 2026 and beyond.