The global 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 anticipate that this momentum will persist for the next four-year horizon. Despite this healthy overall growth, the preferences of the player base are heavily skewed toward familiarity: about two‑thirds of respondents say they gravitate toward sequels or titles that feel familiar, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new experiences. These insights stem from Bain & Company’s annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad geographic spread.
The survey asked participants about their satisfaction with recent releases, their genre preferences, and their attitudes toward emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence. A recurring theme in the feedback was frustration with what the report labels the "unfocused middle" – games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, and therefore fail to capture attention. To illustrate the contrast, Bain & Co highlighted two recent releases: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Concord. Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded because it targeted a narrowly defined, highly engaged audience and delivered an experience that resonated deeply with that group.
In contrast, Concord entered a crowded hero‑shooter segment, struggled to differentiate itself, and found it difficult to persuade players who were already committed to free‑to‑play ecosystems to spend a $40 premium price. When Bain & Co examined public data for 100 titles launched since 2023, the numbers reinforced the importance of focus. Eighty‑three percent of games that were deliberately aimed at a specific player archetype achieved commercial success, whereas only half of the titles that pursued a broader, less defined audience managed to turn a profit. Player genre preferences are equally fragmented.
When asked which type of experience they preferred – narrative‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or multiplayer competition – no single category captured more than 26 percent of the vote. About 20 percent of respondents said their choice varied roughly equally among the options or depended on their mood at the time, and 17 percent indicated they favored other or niche genres not listed in the survey. The report also identified two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player demand for deeper, more personalized experiences, and the rapid adoption of generative AI in game development. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a smaller set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as a de‑facto hub that has 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, create assets, and even prototype gameplay mechanics. However, Bain & Co warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk unless the underlying product is aimed at a clearly defined player. As one analyst put it, "it lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The firms that are likely to thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks, but those that can articulate their target player in a single, concise sentence and commit resources to that vision ahead of their competitors.
Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has softened over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers reported feeling more comfortable with AI usage than they did a year ago, another 44 percent said their comfort level remained unchanged, and fewer than one in seven expressed increased discomfort. The trend is especially pronounced among teenagers: 59 percent of respondents aged 13‑17 indicated greater comfort with AI this year, while 33 percent said their view was 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 & Co spokesperson noted. The firm also highlighted how AI can deepen developers' understanding of their audiences.
A growing suite of analytical tools can parse engagement patterns, surface what resonates with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and the community. These capabilities enable highly personalized offers – from bespoke communications and targeted advertisements to in‑game content tailored to individual tastes.
Bain & Co found that such personalization drives higher spending, especially among younger players. Eighty‑six percent of teenagers reported 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. Gaming‑related expenditures include purchases of new titles, downloadable content, subscription services, and tips for streamers, but exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets. The report also uncovered a notable shift toward direct purchases from developers’ own storefronts: nearly half of gamers buy directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 percent do so repeatedly.
This behavior is most common among the youngest cohort, with 40 percent of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reporting multiple direct purchases in the past year. "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," said Anders Christofferson, global lead of Bain & Co’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice.
He added that studios that are pulling ahead are those that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and are aligning every resource – from AI tools to distribution channels to personalization strategies – behind that answer. In summary, the Bain & Co Gaming Report paints a picture of an industry where growth is steady but consumer appetite is increasingly selective.
Success appears to hinge on a clear, focused player definition, the judicious use of AI to enhance rather than replace that focus, and a commitment to personalized, direct engagement with the audience. Studios that internalize these lessons are likely to capture a larger share of the evolving market and build lasting relationships with the players who matter most.