According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, slated for full release on September 10, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by 6.1 percent over the next year, bringing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of that consumer spend will continue to be generated by two powerhouses: China and the United States, underscoring the enduring dominance of these markets in the digital entertainment landscape. When the numbers are broken down by platform, consoles are expected to account for about 22 percent of the total market value, equating to $46.9 billion in sales—a 5.1 percent rise from the previous year. A key driver behind this uplift is the highly anticipated November release of Rockstar Games’ flagship title, Grand Theft Auto VI.
Newzoo predicts that the new installment will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth rate among all business models tracked by the firm. Mobile gaming will retain its position as the largest revenue generator, capturing roughly 57 percent of the market and delivering $121.1 billion in earnings. This segment’s year‑on‑year growth of 6.8 percent is being fueled by two complementary forces: higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion 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 storefronts. Developers cite improved brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and richer first‑party data as the primary incentives for moving away from traditional marketplace dependence. The PC arena, by contrast, is projected to hold the smallest slice of the pie at 21 percent, translating to $45.9 billion in revenue. While still growing—Newzoo forecasts a 5.3 percent increase year‑over‑year—the platform’s momentum is expected to decelerate relative to its historic compound annual growth rate of 12 percent that was projected for 2025.
Nonetheless, growth on PC is anticipated to be geographically diverse, with notable gains in the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. In terms of business models, premium and mid‑tier titles are slated to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams, whereas microtransactions are poised to reclaim their status as the dominant monetisation method across all platforms. This shift reflects a broader industry trend toward hybrid revenue structures that blend upfront purchases with ongoing in‑game spend.
Player‑base dynamics also paint an intriguing picture. Newzoo estimates that the total number of gamers worldwide will climb to 4.07 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026. The bulk of this audience—approximately 84 percent, or 3.10 billion players—will be mobile users. PC gamers are expected to number around 977 million (about 26 percent of the total), while console enthusiasts will reach roughly 651 million (18 percent).
These figures suggest that while the overall player pool is still expanding, future growth will hinge more on deepening engagement and monetising existing users rather than simply adding newcomers. Newzoo cautions that the market’s upward trajectory will increasingly rely on retaining and extracting value from the current audience base. The firm notes that there is limited headroom for expanding penetration rates; player penetration is projected to inch up from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026. Consequently, the primary source of growth will be the gradual enlargement of the global online population, which is expected to rise by 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people.
Emerging markets continue to be the engine of expansion, with the Asia‑Pacific region maintaining its role as the largest contributor to worldwide revenue. Meanwhile, the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the fastest growth rates, indicating that these regions are becoming increasingly important for developers seeking new audiences.
Overall, the data points to a gaming ecosystem that is maturing: console sales are buoyed by marquee releases, mobile remains the cash cow, and PC is diversifying its geographic footprint. At the same time, the industry is shifting its focus toward sophisticated monetisation strategies—such as D2C storefronts and microtransaction‑heavy titles—to maximise revenue from an ever‑larger, but slowly growing, player base. The forthcoming Global Games Market Report will provide further granularity on these trends, offering stakeholders a comprehensive view of where the industry is headed over the next several years.