The worldwide market for gaming software has been expanding at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years, and analysts expect that momentum to persist for the next four-year horizon. Despite this healthy macro‑level growth, player behaviour remains heavily tilted toward the familiar: about two‑thirds of respondents say they gravitate toward sequels or titles they already know, while only one in five actively look for brand‑new experiences. These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad range of regions and demographics.
The survey uncovered a pronounced dissatisfaction with what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market – games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, failing to stand out in a crowded landscape. To illustrate the point, the report contrasts two recent releases: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Concord. Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded by aiming at a narrowly defined, highly engaged audience, delivering a deep role‑playing experience that resonated with fans of the genre.
In contrast, Concord entered an already saturated hero‑shooter segment and struggled to convince players, many of whom were accustomed to free‑to‑play models, to spend a $40 price tag. The divergent outcomes highlight the importance of a clear target demographic. When Bain & Co examined public data for 100 titles launched since 2023, the numbers reinforced this narrative. Focused games that were built for a specific player type achieved commercial success in 83 % of cases, whereas only half of the unfocused, broadly aimed titles reached similar financial results.
Player preferences for game genres are also highly fragmented. When asked which type of experience they most enjoy – narrative‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer – no single category captured more than 26 % of the vote. About 20 % of respondents said their preference shifts depending on mood or context, and 17 % selected "none of the above" or cited other niche categories.
The report also identifies two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative AI. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating more of their playtime on a limited set of platforms such as Roblox, which Bain describes as having become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years. On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines, but the research warns that technology alone does not mitigate risk without a well‑defined audience. As Bain puts it, AI "lets you scale the wrong bet faster" if the underlying player profile is vague.
"The developers that come out ahead over the next several years won’t be the ones with the biggest budgets or the most sophisticated AI capabilities. They’ll be the ones that commit – earlier than their competitors – to building for a player they can describe in a single sentence," the report states. Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has softened over the past year. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI use than they did twelve months ago, 44 % remain unchanged, and fewer than one in seven are less comfortable.
Acceptance is especially high among teenagers: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 say they are more at ease with AI this year, while 33 % say their view has not shifted. "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," said Bain’s analysts. Beyond risk mitigation, AI offers powerful tools for understanding player behaviour. Emerging analytics platforms can dissect engagement patterns, surface the elements that resonate with a target cohort, and create tighter feedback loops between developers and their communities.
This capability enables highly personalized experiences – from bespoke in‑game offers to tailored marketing messages – that can boost monetisation. Indeed, the report finds that personalisation drives spending, especially among younger users. Eighty‑six percent of teenagers report making at least one gaming‑related purchase each month, compared with just over half of players in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of those in their 70s.
Purchases include new titles, downloadable content, subscription services, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets. Direct sales through developers’ own web stores are also gaining traction.
Nearly half of all gamers buy directly from a studio at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. The trend is strongest among the youngest cohort: 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases in the past twelve months.
Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain’s Video Game sector and partner in the 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." He added, "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."