According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by 6.1 percent in 2026, reaching an estimated $213.9 billion in total revenue. More than half of that spending is projected to come from two key markets—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these economies in the digital entertainment landscape. The full report, slated for release on September 10, breaks down the forecast by platform, business model and regional trends. Console hardware and software sales are expected to account for roughly 22 percent of the total market, translating to $46.9 billion in revenue and a year‑over‑year growth rate of 5.1 percent.
A major driver of this uplift is the highly anticipated launch of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI in November. Newzoo predicts the new title will push full‑game spending up by 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth among all business models in the forecast period. Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, projected to capture 57 percent of global revenue—about $121.1 billion.
This segment is growing at a 6.8 percent annual pace, fueled by higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. A recent FastSpring and Omdia survey found that 96 percent of game studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C web stores.
Developers cite better brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and direct access to first‑party data as the primary incentives for moving away from traditional marketplace intermediaries. In contrast, the PC market is forecast to hold the smallest share at 21 percent, or $45.9 billion. Growth on this platform is expected to slow to 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, down from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate that Newzoo had projected for 2025. Despite the slower pace, PC sales are anticipated to be geographically diverse, with notable expansion in the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) corridor.
When it comes to business models, premium and mid‑tier titles are expected to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams, while microtransactions are projected to reclaim their position as the dominant monetisation method across all platforms. The report highlights that the next wave of growth will rely less on attracting new players and more on retaining and monetising the existing audience base. Player‑base dynamics also point to a gradual deceleration. The global number of gamers is projected to rise from a 4.4 percent year‑over‑year increase in 2026 to a 3.2 percent compound annual growth rate through 2029, culminating in an estimated 4.07 billion players worldwide.
Mobile gamers alone are expected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing roughly 84 percent of the total player population. PC gamers are projected at 977 million (about 26 percent) and console gamers at 651 million (approximately 18 percent). Overall player penetration is slated to inch upward from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026.
Newzoo notes that there is limited headroom for expanding the base through deeper market penetration; instead, growth will largely stem from the online population itself expanding by an estimated 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people. Regional growth patterns reinforce the importance of emerging markets. Asia‑Pacific remains the largest region by revenue and player count, while the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the fastest growth rates. These markets are benefitting from improved broadband infrastructure, increased smartphone adoption, and a burgeoning middle class with disposable income for entertainment.
In summary, the 2026 outlook paints a picture of a maturing industry where incremental revenue gains are driven by flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, the continued rise of mobile gaming, and a strategic shift toward direct‑to‑consumer sales models. While the overall market expands modestly, the emphasis for publishers and developers will be on deepening engagement with existing gamers, leveraging data‑driven insights, and tailoring experiences to diverse regional audiences.