The worldwide market for gaming software has been expanding at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years, and analysts expect that momentum to continue for another four‑year cycle. Yet, despite this healthy financial trajectory, player behavior reveals a strong preference for the familiar. Two‑thirds of respondents say they gravitate toward established franchises or sequels, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new titles.
These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad range of regions and demographics. The survey highlighted a pervasive sense of disappointment with what the firm describes as the "unfocused middle" of the market—games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, failing to make a memorable impression. To illustrate the contrast, Bain & Co compared the market reception of two recent releases. "Baldur’s Gate 3" succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience that craved deep role‑playing experiences, whereas "Concord" entered an already saturated hero‑shooter space and struggled to persuade players accustomed to free‑to‑play models to spend a $40 premium price.
The data underscores a simple but powerful lesson: specificity wins. When the researchers examined public performance data for 100 titles launched since 2023, they discovered that 83 % of games with a clear, focused target audience achieved commercial success, compared with just 50 % of titles that adopted a broader, less defined approach. This stark gap suggests that the odds of financial viability increase dramatically when developers articulate a concise player profile and design around it. Player preferences for game genres are also highly fragmented.
When asked which type of experience they value most—story‑driven narratives, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer—no single category captured more than 26 % of the vote. About 20 % of respondents said their preference shifts depending on mood or circumstance, and 17 % either selected "none of the above" or listed alternative categories, indicating that gamers rarely fit neatly into a single genre box.
The report identified two overarching pressures reshaping the industry: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. Younger gamers, in particular, are consolidating their playtime around a smaller set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as the "centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years. This concentration intensifies competition for attention and loyalty.
On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines, create assets, and even generate dialogue. However, Bain & Co warns that technology alone does not mitigate risk if the underlying player target is vague. "It lets you scale the wrong bet faster," the firm notes, emphasizing that AI should amplify a well‑defined creative vision rather than replace strategic clarity. According to the report, the studios that will thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks.
Instead, success will belong to teams that commit early—well before competitors—to building for a player they can describe in a single sentence. This focus enables tighter feedback loops, more purposeful content, and ultimately stronger monetisation.
Player sentiment toward AI in game development has softened over the past twelve months. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with the industry’s use of AI than they did a year ago, another 44 % remain unchanged, and fewer than one in seven express increased discomfort. The trend is especially pronounced among teenagers: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 report heightened comfort with AI, while 33 % say their opinion has stayed the same.
"For studios worried that AI adoption carries reputational risk with their player base, this data suggests the window to move is open, particularly with the audiences who will define the market over the next decade," a Bain & Co spokesperson explained. The firm also highlights how AI can deepen player understanding.
Emerging analytics tools can sift through engagement data, surface the elements that resonate most with a target segment, and facilitate more effective feedback cycles between developers and their communities. Personalisation is another lever that the report finds increasingly powerful.
Tailored communications, bespoke advertising, and custom in‑game content—delivered through AI‑driven recommendation engines—have been shown to boost spending, especially among younger demographics. In fact, 86 % of teenagers reported making at least one gaming‑related purchase each month, compared with just over half of players in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of those in their 70s.
Gaming‑related expenditures encompass new game purchases, downloadable content, subscription services, and even tips for streamers, but they exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets. The report also notes that nearly half of all gamers buy directly from developers’ online stores at least once a year, with 27 % doing so repeatedly. This direct‑to‑consumer behaviour is most evident among the youngest cohort: 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases in the previous year. "The question for gaming executives is no longer solely about reaching more players.
It's reaching the right players, in the right way, and getting more ownership over that relationship," said Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain & Co’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice. He added, "The studios pulling ahead are the ones that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and are aligning every resource behind that answer; AI, distribution, and personalisation alike."