According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, slated for full release on September 10, the worldwide video‑game industry is set to expand by roughly 6.1 percent over the next year, pushing total revenues to an estimated $213.9 billion. More than half of that spend will continue to come from two powerhouses: China and the United States, underscoring the continued dominance of these markets in shaping global gaming trends.
When the numbers are broken down by platform, consoles are expected to generate $46.9 billion, representing about 22 percent of the total market and reflecting a healthy 5.1 percent year‑over‑year increase. A major driver behind this growth is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ next‑generation title, Grand Theft Auto VI.
Newzoo predicts that the new entry in the long‑running franchise will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth rate among all business models in the sector. Mobile gaming will retain its position as the largest revenue generator, accounting for roughly 57 percent of the market and delivering $121.1 billion in sales.
This segment is projected to grow 6.8 percent year‑on‑year, fueled by higher average spend per player and the continued rise of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. A recent FastSpring and Omdia survey revealed 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 customer data as the primary incentives for moving away from traditional marketplace models. The PC platform, meanwhile, is forecast to capture the smallest slice of the pie at 21 percent, equating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
Growth on this front is expected to slow to 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, a noticeable dip from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that Newzoo had projected for 2025. Despite the slower pace, the PC market’s expansion is expected to be geographically diverse, with strong gains in the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) corridor. In terms of business models, premium and mid‑tier titles are slated to keep sustaining full‑game revenue streams, while microtransactions are projected to reclaim their status as the leading monetisation approach across all platforms. This shift suggests that while high‑budget, narrative‑driven games will continue to attract spend, the broader ecosystem will increasingly rely on in‑game purchases, season passes, and other micro‑economic mechanisms to drive earnings.
Player‑base growth is set to decelerate modestly. Newzoo estimates a 4.4 percent year‑on‑year increase in the number of gamers for 2026, but anticipates the compound annual growth rate to settle at about 3.2 percent through 2029. By the end of that period, the global player community is projected to reach roughly 4.07 billion individuals. The analyst firm emphasizes that future expansion will hinge more on retaining and monetising existing players rather than on attracting large numbers of new users.
Regional dynamics further illustrate where the next wave of growth will emerge. Emerging markets, particularly within Asia‑Pacific, remain the engine of expansion, while the Middle East and Africa are expected to post the fastest growth rates. Mobile gamers alone are predicted to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing an overwhelming 84 percent of the total gaming population.
PC gamers are forecast to reach 977 million (about 26 percent), and console players are expected to total 651 million, or roughly 18 percent of all gamers. Overall player penetration is projected to inch up 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 be a function of the global online population expanding by an estimated 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people. This subtle rise in penetration underscores the maturing nature of the industry, where the focus shifts toward extracting more value from existing users through richer experiences, diversified content, and sophisticated monetisation strategies.
In summary, the forthcoming report paints a picture of a robust yet evolving gaming landscape. While console and PC revenues grow at modest rates, mobile continues to dominate both in terms of revenue share and player numbers.
The upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto VI is poised to act as a catalyst for full‑game sales, and the growing adoption of D2C storefronts signals a strategic pivot toward greater control over distribution and data. As the industry moves forward, success will increasingly depend on deepening engagement with current players, leveraging regional growth opportunities, and balancing premium titles with microtransaction‑driven models to sustain the projected $213.9 billion market size by 2026.