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

According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is on track to expand by 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of that spending is expected to come from two powerhouse markets—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these regions in shaping industry trends. The full report, slated for release on September 10, breaks down the forecast by platform and business model, offering a detailed picture of where growth will be concentrated. Console hardware and software sales are predicted to represent about 22 percent of the total market, amounting to $46.9 billion, and are expected to grow 5.1 percent year‑over‑year.

A major catalyst for this uptick is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo estimates that the new title will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, a rate that the firm describes as the strongest growth among all existing business models. Mobile gaming remains the sector’s juggernaut, projected to claim the largest slice of the pie at 57 percent, or $121.1 billion in revenue. This 6.8 percent annual increase is driven by two complementary forces: higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels.

A recent survey conducted by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that 96 percent of game studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C web stores. Developers cite greater brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and direct access to first‑party customer data as the primary motivations for this shift. In contrast, the PC platform is forecast to hold the smallest share of the market, accounting for 21 percent—or $45.9 billion—of total revenues. While still growing at a respectable 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, this figure marks a slowdown from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that Newzoo had projected for 2025.

The firm expects PC growth to be geographically diverse, with the strongest gains coming from the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. When it comes to monetisation strategies, premium and mid‑priced game releases are expected to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams. Meanwhile, microtransactions are forecast to reclaim their position as the most lucrative business model overall, reflecting a broader industry trend toward ongoing, in‑game purchases rather than one‑time purchases. Player numbers are also a key part of the outlook.

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 rise in 2026. This modest deceleration suggests that future growth will rely more on deepening engagement and monetising existing users than on attracting brand‑new gamers.

The firm notes that the market’s expansion is increasingly concentrated in emerging economies, with the Asia‑Pacific region remaining the largest contributor and the MEA region posting the fastest growth rate. By 2026, mobile gamers are expected to number 3.10 billion, representing roughly 84 percent of all players worldwide. PC gamers are projected to reach 977 million (about 26 percent of the total), while console enthusiasts will number around 651 million, or 18 percent.

Overall player penetration is anticipated to edge up slightly from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026, a modest rise that reflects limited headroom for expanding the base through deeper market saturation. Instead, growth will largely come from the online population itself, which Newzoo estimates will increase by 3.5 percent to 5.97 billion people.

In summary, Newzoo’s forecast paints a picture of a maturing but still vibrant global gaming ecosystem. While the pace of new player acquisition may be slowing, the industry is poised to extract more value from its existing audience through higher spend per user, diversified monetisation models, and a continued push toward D2C sales channels. Emerging markets, particularly in Asia‑Pacific and the Middle East‑Africa, will be the primary engines of future expansion, while flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI will provide significant short‑term boosts to full‑game revenue.

The combination of platform‑specific growth, evolving business models, and shifting geographic dynamics suggests that the gaming sector will remain a major driver of digital entertainment revenue well into the late 2020s.