According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, which will be released in full on September 10, the worldwide video‑game sector is slated to expand by 6.1 percent over the coming year, pushing total revenue to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of that 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. Console platforms are predicted to contribute $46.9 billion, representing about 22 percent of the total market and marking a 5.1 percent rise from the previous year.
A key driver behind this uptick is the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI in November. Newzoo estimates that the new title will lift full‑game expenditure by an impressive 17.5 percent, a growth rate that the firm describes as the strongest among all business models in the sector.
Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, expected to capture 57 percent of global revenue and generate $121.1 billion. This segment’s growth of 6.8 percent year‑on‑year is fueled by two complementary forces: higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels.
A recent joint survey by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that 96 percent of development studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C storefronts. Studios cite enhanced brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and richer access to first‑party data as the primary motivations for this shift. The PC market, by contrast, is forecast to hold the smallest share at 21 percent, translating to $45.9 billion in revenue. While still growing – Newzoo projects a 5.3 percent increase year‑over‑year – the pace is expected to decelerate relative to the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that was projected for 2025.
Despite the slower trajectory, PC growth is anticipated to be geographically diverse, with notable gains across the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) corridor. In terms of business models, premium and mid‑tier titles are likely to continue sustaining revenue from full‑game purchases. However, microtransactions are poised to reclaim their position as the dominant monetisation method across platforms, reflecting a broader industry trend toward in‑game purchases and ongoing content updates.
Player numbers are also set to evolve. Newzoo predicts that the global player base will reach 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026. This modest slowdown suggests that future expansion will rely more on deepening engagement with existing users rather than attracting large numbers of new gamers. Indeed, the firm notes that "future market growth will depend increasingly on retaining and monetising existing audiences rather than adding new players." Regional dynamics further illustrate where growth is concentrated.
Emerging markets, particularly within Asia‑Pacific, remain the engine of expansion, while the Middle East and Africa are the fastest‑growing regions in terms of percentage increase. By 2026, mobile gamers are projected to number 3.10 billion, accounting for 84 percent of all players.
PC gamers are expected to reach 977 million (about 26 percent of the total), and console users are forecast at 651 million, or roughly 18 percent. Penetration rates – the proportion of the global online population that plays games – are slated to edge up from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026.
This modest rise reflects the limited headroom for expanding the base through deeper market saturation; instead, growth will largely stem from the overall online population expanding by an estimated 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people. Overall, Newzoo’s outlook paints a picture of a maturing industry where incremental revenue gains are driven by flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, the steady ascendancy of mobile platforms, and the strategic adoption of D2C storefronts by developers. While the sheer number of new players may plateau, the emphasis on monetising and retaining existing gamers, coupled with regional expansion in high‑growth markets, is expected to sustain the sector’s upward trajectory well into the late 2020s.