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, delivering a total market value of roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of all consumer spend is expected to come from just two powerhouses—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these two economies in the digital entertainment arena.
The full report, slated for public release on 10 September, breaks down the forecast by platform, region, and business model, offering a granular view of where growth will originate and which trends will shape the industry over the next few years. **Console segment** Console‑related revenue is projected to represent 22 percent of the total market, amounting to $46.9 billion, a rise of 5.1 percent from the previous year. A key driver of this uplift is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ next‑generation title, Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo predicts that the new installment will push full‑game spending up by 17.5 percent, making it the strongest growth catalyst among all existing business models.
The title’s broad appeal and the franchise’s established fan base are expected to generate a surge in both hardware sales and software purchases, revitalising the console ecosystem. **Mobile gaming** Mobile remains the largest platform by a comfortable margin, accounting for 57 percent of global gaming revenue and reaching $121.1 billion. This segment is forecast to grow 6.8 percent year‑on‑year, propelled by higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. Mobile developers are increasingly bypassing traditional app‑store gatekeepers, opting instead to sell directly through proprietary storefronts.
A recent survey conducted by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that 96 percent of studios either already operate or plan to launch a D2C web store. The motivations cited include stronger brand visibility, deeper player loyalty, and, critically, direct access to first‑party customer data, which can be leveraged for more precise marketing and monetisation strategies.
**PC gaming** The PC market is expected to capture the smallest slice of the pie, with a 21 percent share translating to $45.9 billion in revenue. Growth on this platform is forecast at 5.3 percent year‑on‑year, a slowdown compared with the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that Newzoo had projected for 2025. Despite the deceleration, PC remains a vital arena for premium and mid‑priced releases, which are anticipated to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams.
Moreover, the PC segment is expected to benefit from geographically diverse growth, led by strong performance in the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. **Business model dynamics** While premium titles will keep delivering solid full‑game revenue, microtransactions are poised to reclaim their status as the leading business model across all platforms. The resurgence of in‑game purchases reflects a maturing ecosystem where developers balance upfront pricing with ongoing monetisation hooks, such as cosmetic items, battle passes, and downloadable content. This hybrid approach helps to smooth revenue over the life cycle of a game and mitigates the risk of a single‑sale dependency.
**Player base trends** The global player population is projected to reach 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026. However, Newzoo cautions that future expansion will rely more on retaining and monetising existing gamers rather than on attracting large numbers of new participants.
The overall penetration rate is expected to edge up slightly from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026, indicating limited headroom for deeper market saturation. Instead, growth will be driven by the online population expanding by roughly 3.5 percent to 5.97 billion users. **Regional outlook** Emerging markets continue to be the engine of growth, with Asia‑Pacific holding the largest share of the player base.
The Middle East and Africa are expanding at the fastest pace, reflecting increasing broadband availability and rising disposable income in those regions. Mobile gaming will dominate player counts, with an estimated 3.10 billion mobile gamers in 2026—about 84 percent of all players. PC gamers are forecast to number 977 million (approximately 26 percent), while console enthusiasts will total around 651 million (18 percent). **Implications for developers and publishers** The data suggests that studios should prioritize strategies that deepen engagement with current audiences.
Investing in D2C storefronts, enhancing player data analytics, and crafting compelling live‑service experiences will be crucial. At the same time, flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI demonstrate that high‑impact, premium titles can still generate significant spikes in spend, especially when supported by robust marketing and cross‑platform availability. In summary, Newzoo’s outlook paints a picture of steady, albeit modest, growth for the global games market through 2026 and beyond. The sector’s expansion will be anchored by mobile dominance, a resurgence of microtransaction‑driven monetisation, and the continued importance of premium releases that capture player imagination and drive full‑game sales.
Developers, publishers, and investors alike would do well to align their roadmaps with these trends, focusing on player retention, data‑driven monetisation, and strategic expansion into high‑growth regions.