Newzoo Forecasts Global Gaming Industry to Reach $213.9 Billion in 2026, Up 6.1% YoY

According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by roughly 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenues to an estimated $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 industry trends.

The full report, slated for release on September 10, breaks down the forecast by platform, business model and geographic region. Console sales are projected to generate $46.9 billion, which would represent about 22 percent of the total market and a year‑over‑year increase of 5.1 percent.

A key driver for this uplift is the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI in November. Newzoo predicts the blockbuster title will lift full‑game spending by 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth rate among all business models in the forecast period.

Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, accounting for an estimated 57 percent of global revenue – roughly $121.1 billion. This segment is expected to grow 6.8 percent from the previous year, propelled by higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. A recent FastSpring and Omdia survey found that 96 percent of game studios either already run a D2C storefront or plan to launch one, citing benefits such as greater brand visibility, stronger player loyalty and richer first‑party data.

In contrast, the PC platform is forecast to hold the smallest share, about 21 percent or $45.9 billion. Growth on PC is still positive at 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, but it falls short of the 12 percent compound annual growth rate that Newzoo had projected for 2025.

The slowdown reflects a maturing market and increasing competition from mobile and console titles. Nevertheless, Newzoo expects PC growth to be geographically diverse, with notable gains in the Asia‑Pacific, Latin America and Middle East‑Africa (MEA) regions. When it comes to business models, premium and mid‑priced games are expected to keep delivering solid full‑game revenue, while microtransactions are slated to reclaim the top spot as the most lucrative model overall. This shift suggests that developers will continue to blend traditional full‑price releases with ongoing monetisation strategies such as in‑game purchases, battle passes and cosmetics.

Player numbers are also a focal point of the outlook. The total global player base is projected to reach 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent rise in 2026. The growth trajectory indicates that future expansion will rely more on retaining and monetising existing gamers rather than on attracting large numbers of new users.

This sentiment is echoed by Newzoo’s observation that market growth will increasingly hinge on deepening engagement with the current audience. Regional dynamics reinforce the importance of emerging markets. Asia‑Pacific continues to be the largest region by player count and revenue, while the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the fastest growth rates. Mobile gamers alone are expected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing roughly 84 percent of all players.

PC gamers are projected at 977 million (about 26 percent) and console gamers at 651 million (approximately 18 percent). Penetration rates will edge up slightly, from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026, indicating limited room for expanding the base through deeper market saturation.

Instead, the modest increase reflects the overall online population rising by 3.5 percent to an estimated 5.97 billion people worldwide. As more people gain internet access, especially in developing regions, the potential pool of gamers expands, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years.

In summary, Newzoo’s forecast paints a picture of steady, moderate growth across the global gaming ecosystem. While console and PC segments face slower expansion, mobile continues to dominate both revenue and player count.

The upcoming launch of Grand Theft Auto VI is poised to inject a significant boost into full‑game spending, and the widespread adoption of D2C storefronts signals a strategic shift toward greater control over distribution and customer data. As the industry moves forward, success will likely depend on how well publishers can keep existing players engaged and monetised, while also navigating the evolving preferences of gamers across diverse platforms and regions.