The global market for video‑game software has been expanding at a modest compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years, and analysts expect that momentum to continue for another four‑year stretch. Yet the same data reveal a striking paradox: while the industry as a whole is growing, the majority of players are not actively hunting for fresh experiences. In fact, about two‑thirds of respondents say they gravitate toward familiar franchises or sequels, and only one in five say they deliberately seek out brand‑new titles.
These insights come from Bain & Company’s annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across the globe. The survey asked participants about their preferences, frustrations, and attitudes toward emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence.
One recurring theme was a deep dissatisfaction with what the researchers dubbed the "unfocused middle" – games that are overly generic, safe, or shallow, and therefore fail to capture attention. To illustrate the impact of focus, the report contrasted two recent releases: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Concord. Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded by targeting a narrowly defined audience of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering a deep, story‑driven experience that resonated strongly with that segment.
Concord, on the other hand, entered a saturated hero‑shooter market and struggled to persuade players already accustomed to free‑to‑play models to spend the full $40 price tag. The comparison underscores the advantage of honing in on a specific player archetype rather than trying to appeal to everyone. Bain & Co examined public performance data for a hundred titles launched since 2023. The analysis showed that 83 percent of games with a clear, focused positioning achieved commercial success, whereas only half of the unfocused titles met similar benchmarks.
This gap highlights how a well‑defined target audience can dramatically improve a game’s market outcomes. Player preferences themselves are highly fragmented. When asked to choose their ideal experience—whether a narrative‑driven adventure, an open sandbox with user‑generated content, or a multiplayer‑centric game—no single category captured more than 26 percent of votes.
About one‑fifth of respondents said their choice depends on mood or that they enjoy all three equally, and 17 percent selected "none of the above" or mentioned other niche genres. The data suggest that developers cannot rely on a one‑size‑fits‑all formula; instead, they must understand the nuanced tastes of distinct sub‑communities. The report also identified two major forces reshaping the industry: rising player demand for deeper engagement and the rapid adoption of generative AI in development pipelines.
Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a narrower set of platforms such as Roblox, which Bain describes as becoming "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years. This concentration amplifies the importance of delivering experiences that meet the expectations of a highly engaged core audience. Generative AI is accelerating content creation, but the report warns that technology alone does not mitigate risk.
Without a clear target player, AI can simply "scale the wrong bet faster," leading to wasted resources. Bain’s executives argue that the studios that will thrive are not necessarily those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI tools, but those that commit early to a concise player profile—one that can be described in a single sentence.
Player sentiment toward AI in game development has shifted positively over the last year. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers reported feeling more comfortable with AI usage than they did twelve months ago, another 44 percent said their comfort level remained unchanged, and fewer than one in seven expressed increased discomfort.
Acceptance is especially high among teenagers: 59 percent of players aged 13‑17 said they are more comfortable with AI now, while 33 percent said their view is unchanged. "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 spokesperson noted. The firm also highlighted how AI can enhance player insight. New analytical tools can track engagement patterns, surface what resonates with specific audiences, and create tighter feedback loops between developers and communities.
Personalisation is another lever that drives spending. Tailored communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content can increase revenue, especially among younger demographics.
The report found that 86 percent of teenagers report spending money on gaming‑related activities each month, compared with just over half of players in their 50s, 36 percent of those in their 60s, and 27 percent of those in their 70s. These activities include purchasing new titles, downloadable content, subscriptions, and even tips for streamers, but exclude hardware purchases such as consoles or VR headsets.
Direct purchases from developers’ own web stores are also on the rise. Nearly half of all gamers said they buy directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 percent do so repeatedly. The trend is strongest among the youngest cohort: 40 percent of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases in the past twelve months.
Anders Christofferson, global lead of Bain’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice, 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. 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."