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 expect this trajectory to continue for the next four-year period. Yet, despite this healthy financial outlook, player behavior reveals a strong preference for familiar experiences. According to Bain & Company’s most recent annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers around the world, two‑thirds of participants say they gravitate toward sequels or titles they already know, while only one in five actively look for brand‑new games. Survey respondents voiced frustration with what the report labels the “unfocused middle” of the market – games that are overly generic, safe, and lacking depth, making them easy to overlook.
To illustrate this point, Bain & Co contrasted the reception of two recent releases: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Concord. Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded by targeting a narrowly defined audience of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering a deep, narrative‑driven experience that resonated strongly with that segment. By contrast, Concord entered a saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to convince players who were already invested in free‑to‑play ecosystems to spend a $40 upfront price, highlighting the risk of broad, unfocused positioning.
When the firm examined public data on 100 games launched since 2023, it found a striking disparity in commercial outcomes. Focused titles that aimed at a specific player archetype achieved success in 83 % of cases, whereas only half of the unfocused, broadly marketed games reached comparable commercial milestones.
This suggests that clarity of purpose and a well‑defined target audience are becoming decisive factors in a game’s financial performance. Player preferences across genres are also highly fragmented. When asked which type of experience they favored – story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or multiplayer competition – no single category captured more than 26 % of votes. About 20 % of respondents said their choice depends on mood or that the categories are roughly equal for them, while 17 % indicated they either do not play those types or prefer other, unspecified formats.
The report also identified two major forces reshaping the industry: rising player demand for deeper engagement and the rapid adoption of generative AI technologies. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a smaller set of platforms, with Roblox cited as a prime example.
Bain & Co describes Roblox as having become the "centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years, reflecting how a single platform can dominate attention and spending. On the AI front, developers are increasingly leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines.
However, the firm warns that without a clear player target, AI can simply amplify a misguided bet: "it lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The analysts argue that the studios that will thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks, but those that commit early to building for a player they can describe in a single sentence. Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has softened over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI’s role in the industry than they did a year ago, another 44 % remain unchanged, and fewer than one‑in‑seven feel less comfortable. Acceptance is especially high among younger players: 59 % of those aged 13‑17 report increased comfort with AI, while 33 % say their view has stayed the same.
Bain & Co interprets this shift as a green light for studios wary of reputational risk: "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." The firm also notes that AI can deepen developers’ understanding of their audiences. Emerging analytics tools can dissect engagement patterns, surface what resonates with specific segments, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and communities. Personalisation, powered by AI, is already influencing spending behaviour. Tailored communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content can drive higher revenue, especially among teenagers.
The report found that 86 % of teens spend money on gaming‑related activities 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. These activities include buying new titles, in‑game items, subscriptions, and tipping streamers, but exclude hardware purchases such as consoles or VR headsets. Direct purchases from developers’ own storefronts are also on the rise. Nearly half of gamers reported buying directly from a developer 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 made multiple direct purchases in the past year. Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain & Co’s Video Game sector and partner in its 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 that studios pulling ahead are those that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and have aligned every resource – from AI tools to distribution channels to personalisation strategies – behind that answer.