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 persist for another four‑year horizon. Despite this healthy macro‑trend, player behaviour remains heavily tilted toward the familiar. According to Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report – which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad range of regions – about two‑thirds of respondents said they gravitate toward established franchises or sequels, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new titles.
Survey participants voiced a clear frustration with what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market: games that play it safe, appear overly generic, and lack the depth needed to capture lasting interest. To illustrate this phenomenon, Bain & Co contrasted two recent releases.
Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering a deep, narrative‑driven experience that resonated strongly with that cohort. In contrast, the shooter Concord entered an already saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players who were accustomed to free‑to‑play models to part with a $40 price tag. When the researchers examined public performance data for a sample of 100 titles launched since 2023, the results reinforced the importance of focus.
A striking 83 % of games that were deliberately targeted at a specific player segment achieved commercial success, compared with just 50 % of titles that pursued a broader, less defined audience. Player preferences for game genres are similarly fragmented. When asked to choose between story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox experiences with user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer, no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents.
About one‑fifth of gamers indicated that their preference shifts depending on mood or that they view the categories as roughly equal, while 17 % selected "none of the above" or offered alternative types of games. The report also highlighted two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence.
Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a smaller set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as the emerging "centre of gravity" for the broader gaming ecosystem over the past five years. On the AI front, developers are increasingly leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines. However, Bain & Co cautions that AI alone does not mitigate risk when the underlying player target is vague. As the firm puts it, AI "lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The analysts argue that the studios that will thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks, but rather those that can articulate their ideal player in a single, concise sentence and commit to serving that audience ahead of their rivals.
Attitudes toward AI in game development have 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, 44 % remain unchanged, and fewer than one in seven report increased discomfort. The shift is most pronounced among teenagers: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 say they are more at ease with AI this year, while 33 % say their view has stayed the same. Bain & Co interprets these findings as a green light for studios hesitant about reputational risk: "The window to move is open, particularly with the audiences who will define the market over the next decade," the firm noted.
Moreover, AI can serve as a powerful analytics engine, helping developers decode engagement patterns, surface the elements that resonate with a target demographic, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and their communities. One practical application of AI‑driven insight is hyper‑personalised marketing – from tailored communications and ads to bespoke in‑game content crafted for individual players. The report found that such personalization boosts spending, especially among younger cohorts. Eighty‑six percent of teenagers reported making some form of 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.
These purchases encompass new game titles, downloadable content, subscription services, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware like consoles or VR headsets. Direct‑to‑consumer sales are also gaining traction.
Nearly half of all gamers said they buy directly from a developer’s online store at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. The tendency is strongest among the youngest segment: 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases in the past twelve months. Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain & Co’s Video Game practice and partner in its Media & Entertainment group, summed up the strategic implication: "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." He added that studios that pull ahead are those that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and have aligned every resource – from AI tools to distribution channels to personalization tactics – around that decision. In summary, the Bain & Co analysis paints a clear picture: the future of gaming will be defined by narrowly focused, player‑centric titles that harness AI not just for efficiency but for deeper understanding of their audience, and by business models that prioritize direct engagement and personalized experiences over mass‑market, generic offerings.