According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by 6.1 percent over the next year, pushing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion by the end of 2026. The report, which will be released in full on September 10, highlights that more than half of all consumer spending will continue to be driven by two powerhouse markets: China and the United States. Console sales are expected to account for about 22 percent of the total market, translating to $46.9 billion in revenue and representing a 5.1 percent year‑on‑year increase. A major catalyst for this growth is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ next‑generation title, Grand Theft Auto VI.
Newzoo predicts that the new installment will boost full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, making it the strongest growth driver among all business models in the industry. Mobile gaming remains the dominant platform, projected to capture 57 percent of global revenue and generate $121.1 billion. This 6.8 percent increase over the previous year is fueled by higher average spend per player and the continued rise of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels, which allow developers to sell games straight to gamers without intermediary platforms.
A recent FastSpring and Omdia survey supports this trend, revealing that 96 percent of studios either already run a D2C storefront or plan to launch one. Studios cite benefits such as stronger brand visibility, deeper customer loyalty, and richer first‑party data as key motivations. PC gaming, by contrast, is slated to hold the smallest slice of the market at 21 percent, equating to $45.9 billion in sales.
Although still growing—Newzoo estimates a 5.3 percent year‑over‑year rise—the PC segment’s growth rate is expected to decelerate compared with the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) forecast for 2025. The slowdown reflects a maturing market and increasing competition from mobile and console titles.
In terms of business models, premium and mid‑tier releases are projected to keep sustaining revenue from full‑game purchases, while microtransactions are poised to reclaim the top spot as the most lucrative model overall. The resurgence of microtransactions is linked to their proven ability to generate recurring income streams and to the growing sophistication of in‑game economies.
Geographically, PC growth is anticipated to be broadly distributed, with the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets leading the charge. These emerging markets are delivering the bulk of new player acquisition, and their expanding internet penetration and improving payment infrastructures are creating fertile ground for further expansion.
Overall player growth is expected to moderate. While the player base is projected to increase by 4.4 percent in 2026, the compound annual growth rate from 2026 through 2029 is forecast at 3.2 percent, culminating in an estimated 4.07 billion gamers worldwide by the end of the decade. Newzoo notes that future market expansion will rely increasingly on retaining existing players and extracting more value from them, rather than simply adding new users. The distribution of players across platforms underscores the dominance of mobile.
Newzoo estimates that by 2026 there will be roughly 3.10 billion mobile gamers, representing 84 percent of the total gaming population. PC gamers are expected to number around 977 million (about 26 percent), while console enthusiasts will reach approximately 651 million, or 18 percent of all players. Player penetration—the proportion of the global online population that engages in gaming—is projected to edge up from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026. This modest rise signals that the market is approaching saturation in many mature regions, leaving limited room for growth through deeper penetration.
Instead, the modest increase will largely stem from the overall online population expanding by roughly 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion individuals. In summary, Newzoo’s outlook paints a picture of a robust yet increasingly competitive gaming ecosystem. Mobile continues to dominate revenue and player counts, consoles benefit from marquee releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, and PCs experience steady but slower growth. The industry’s future success will hinge on developers’ ability to nurture existing audiences, leverage D2C channels, and innovate within the microtransaction model while navigating the nuanced demands of diverse regional markets.