According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is on track to expand by roughly 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenues to an estimated $213.9 billion. More than half of that consumer spend is expected to come from two powerhouses—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these markets in shaping industry trends. The full report, slated for release on 10 September, breaks down the forecast by platform, business model and regional dynamics.
Console sales are predicted to generate $46.9 billion, representing about 22 percent of the total market and marking a 5.1 percent year‑on‑year rise. A key catalyst for this uplift is the highly anticipated November debut of Rockstar Games’ next‑generation title, Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo estimates that the new installment will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, a growth rate that the firm describes as the strongest among all business models for the year. Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, projected to capture 57 percent of global revenue—approximately $121.1 billion.
This segment’s growth of 6.8 percent YoY is driven by two converging forces: higher average spend per player and the expanding influence of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. Recent research from FastSpring and Omdia reveals that 96 percent of game studios either already run a D2C storefront or plan to launch one. Developers cite greater brand visibility, stronger player loyalty and richer first‑party data as the primary motivations for moving away from third‑party marketplaces.
In contrast, the PC platform is forecast to hold the smallest share of the market at 21 percent, equating to $45.9 billion in revenue. While still growing—Newzoo projects a 5.3 percent increase over the previous year—PC growth is expected to decelerate relative to its historic compound annual growth rate of 12 percent that was projected for 2025. The slowdown reflects a maturing ecosystem where incremental gains are more likely to come from geographic expansion rather than breakthrough innovations in hardware or software. When it comes to business models, premium and mid‑tier titles are expected to keep the bulk of full‑game revenue flowing, whereas microtransactions are poised to reclaim the top spot as the most lucrative model overall.
The resurgence of micro‑spending is linked to the broader adoption of live‑service frameworks and the increasing willingness of players to purchase cosmetic and functional add‑ons within established games. Geographically, growth is set to be broadly distributed across the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) corridor. These areas are projected to drive the bulk of PC expansion, with emerging markets contributing a larger share of new users than the traditionally dominant North American and Western European territories.
Player growth, however, is expected to taper slightly. While the global player base will still increase from a 4.4 percent year‑on‑year rise in 2026 to a compound annual growth rate of 3.2 percent through 2029, the total number of gamers is projected to reach 4.07 billion by the end of the forecast horizon.
Newzoo cautions that future expansion will rely more heavily on retaining and monetising existing audiences rather than on attracting fresh users. This shift reflects the limited headroom for deepening market penetration—player penetration is forecast to edge up from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026, indicating that most of the online population is already engaged with gaming. Consequently, growth will be driven by an expanding global internet user base, which is expected to rise by 3.5 percent to 5.97 billion people. In terms of sheer player numbers, mobile gamers are anticipated to number 3.10 billion in 2026, accounting for roughly 84 percent of all players.
PC gamers are expected to total 977 million (about 26 percent of the total), while console enthusiasts will number around 651 million, representing 18 percent of the global audience. Overall, the outlook paints a picture of a maturing industry where revenue growth is increasingly decoupled from raw player acquisition.
Success will hinge on sophisticated monetisation strategies, deeper engagement with existing fans, and the continued rise of D2C channels that give developers direct access to valuable consumer insights. The upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI launch stands out as a marquee event that could provide a substantial boost to full‑game sales, but the broader trend points toward a diversified ecosystem where mobile, console, and PC platforms each play distinct yet complementary roles in the evolving gaming landscape.