The global market for video‑game software has been expanding at a modest but steady pace, registering a compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years. Analysts expect this trend to continue, with the sector projected to maintain the same growth trajectory for the next four‑year horizon. Despite this overall upward movement, player behavior reveals a striking preference for the familiar. Two‑thirds of surveyed gamers say they gravitate toward titles they already know—sequels, franchises, or games that feel comfortable—while only one out of every five respondents actively seeks out brand‑new experiences.
These insights come from Bain & Company’s most recent annual Gaming Report, which collected responses from more than 5,300 players across a broad range of regions and demographics. The survey asked participants to evaluate their satisfaction with the current gaming landscape, and a recurring theme emerged: many feel frustrated by what the firm labels the “unfocused middle.” This term describes games that aim for broad appeal but end up feeling generic, safe, and shallow, failing to capture the imagination of any specific audience.
To illustrate the impact of focus, the report contrasts two recent releases: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*. *Baldur’s Gate 3* succeeded by targeting a highly specific niche—fans of deep, story‑driven role‑playing experiences—and delivering a product that resonated powerfully with that group.
In contrast, *Concord* entered an already saturated hero‑shooter market and struggled to persuade players who were already invested in free‑to‑play ecosystems to spend the full $40 price tag. The divergent outcomes underscore a broader pattern uncovered by Bain’s analysis of public data for 100 titles launched since 2023. When a game is sharply focused on a particular player archetype, 83 % of those titles achieve commercial success. By comparison, only half of the unfocused, broadly aimed games meet similar financial benchmarks.
Player preferences for game genres are equally fragmented. When respondents were asked which type of experience they most enjoy—story‑driven narratives, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer—no single category captured more than 26 % of the vote.
About one‑fifth of gamers indicated that their choice varies depending on mood or that they treat the categories as roughly equal, while 17 % selected “none of the above” or listed other, less common game types. This dispersion suggests that a one‑size‑fits‑all approach is increasingly ineffective.
The report also highlights two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player demand and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their time on a narrower set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as a central hub that has become the "gravity centre" of the gaming ecosystem over the past five years. This concentration intensifies competition for attention and makes it harder for new, unfocused titles to break through.
On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative technologies to accelerate production pipelines, create assets, and even prototype gameplay mechanics. However, Bain warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk if the underlying product lacks a clear target audience. As the firm puts it, AI "lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The real advantage, according to Bain, will belong to studios that commit early—well before their rivals—to building a game for a player they can describe in a single sentence.
This laser‑focused strategy, combined with AI‑driven efficiencies, is expected to separate the winners from the rest. Player sentiment toward AI in game development has softened over the last year. Forty‑two percent of respondents now feel more comfortable with the industry’s use of AI than they did twelve months ago, another 44 % say their comfort level is unchanged, and fewer than one in seven express increased discomfort.
Acceptance is especially high among the youngest cohort: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 report greater comfort with AI this year, while 33 % say their opinion remains the same. Bain’s senior partner Anders Christofferson interprets these findings as a clear signal for studios: the window to adopt AI responsibly and transparently is open, particularly with the younger audiences who will shape the market for the next decade.
He adds that AI can also serve as a powerful analytics tool, allowing developers to dissect engagement patterns, surface what resonates with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and their communities. Personalisation is another lever that the report identifies as a driver of increased spending.
Tailored communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content—delivered based on a player’s individual preferences—have been shown to boost monetary engagement, especially among teenagers. In fact, 86 % of teens report spending money on gaming‑related activities each month, a figure that dwarfs the 52 % of players in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of gamers in their 70s.
These activities encompass purchasing new titles, buying downloadable content, subscribing to services, and tipping streamers, but they exclude hardware purchases such as consoles or VR headsets. Direct purchases from developers’ own web stores also play a growing role. Nearly half of all gamers buy directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. The propensity for direct buying is strongest among the youngest segment: 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases over the past year.
This trend signals a shift away from reliance on traditional platform marketplaces and toward a more intimate developer‑player relationship. In summary, Bain & Company’s findings paint a picture of an industry where breadth of appeal is less valuable than depth of connection. Games that zero in on a specific audience, leverage AI to streamline production while maintaining a clear player focus, and employ personalised outreach are poised to capture the most revenue. As Christofferson concludes, "The question for gaming executives is no longer solely about reaching more players.
It’s about reaching the right players, in the right way, and gaining greater ownership over that relationship. Studios that deliberately choose who they are building for and align every resource—AI, distribution, personalisation—to that answer will pull ahead."