According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of that consumer spend will continue to be driven by the two biggest markets—China and the United States—underscoring the enduring dominance of these regions in the digital entertainment landscape. The report, which will be released in full on 10 September, breaks down the forecast by platform and business model, offering a detailed view of where growth is expected to originate.
Console sales are predicted to represent 22 percent of the overall market, amounting to $46.9 billion, and are slated to grow at a healthy 5.1 percent year‑over‑year. A key catalyst for this uplift is the highly anticipated November release of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo estimates that the new title will boost full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, making it the strongest growth driver among all business models in the sector. Mobile gaming remains the heavyweight, projected to capture 57 percent of global revenues and generate $121.1 billion in 2026.
This platform’s growth rate of 6.8 percent YoY is anchored in two main forces: rising average spend per player and the expanding influence of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. Recent research from FastSpring and Omdia reveals that 96 percent of game studios either already run a D2C storefront or have plans to launch one. Developers cite greater brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and direct access to first‑party data as the primary motivations for this shift. In contrast, the PC segment is expected to hold the smallest share of the market, accounting for 21 percent—or $45.9 billion—in 2026.
Although still growing at a respectable 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, PC revenue growth is slowing relative to its historical compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12 percent that Newzoo projected for 2025. The slowdown is partly offset by a geographically diverse expansion, with notable gains in the Asia‑Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East‑Africa (MEA) regions. When it comes to monetisation strategies, premium and mid‑tier titles are forecast to maintain the bulk of full‑game revenue, while microtransactions are poised to reclaim their status as the largest overall business model. This resurgence reflects the continued appetite for in‑game purchases across all platforms, especially on mobile where the model has become deeply embedded in the user experience.
Player‑base dynamics also feature prominently in Newzoo’s outlook. The total number of gamers worldwide is expected to rise to 4.07 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026. The firm cautions that future expansion will rely more on retaining and monetising existing players rather than on attracting brand‑new users, as the pool of potential gamers becomes increasingly saturated.
Regional growth patterns reinforce this narrative. Emerging markets continue to drive the bulk of new player acquisition, with the Asia‑Pacific region remaining the largest contributor to overall market size.
Meanwhile, the Middle East and Africa are expanding at the fastest pace, suggesting that these areas will become increasingly important for publishers seeking fresh revenue streams. In terms of platform‑specific player counts, mobile is projected to host 3.10 billion gamers in 2026—about 84 percent of the total player population.
PC gaming will attract roughly 977 million users (26 percent), and consoles are expected to reach 651 million players (18 percent). These figures illustrate the continued dominance of mobile as the primary gateway to gaming, while also highlighting the steady, albeit slower, growth of traditional PC and console ecosystems.
Penetration rates are also set to inch upward, moving from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026. Newzoo notes that this modest rise reflects limited headroom for expanding the base through deeper market penetration; instead, growth will be driven by the overall online population expanding by about 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people worldwide. Overall, Newzoo’s forecast paints a picture of a maturing industry where incremental revenue gains are increasingly tied to sophisticated monetisation tactics, direct‑to‑consumer relationships, and the ability to keep existing gamers engaged.
The upcoming launch of Grand Theft Auto VI stands out as a marquee event that could inject a significant short‑term boost, but long‑term success will hinge on how well developers and publishers can adapt to shifting consumer preferences, regional market dynamics, and the evolving balance between premium content and microtransaction‑driven revenue streams.