The global market for video‑game software has been expanding at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the past four years, and analysts expect that momentum to continue for the next four-year horizon. Yet, despite this healthy financial backdrop, player behavior shows a pronounced preference for the familiar: about two‑thirds of gamers say they gravitate toward sequels or titles that feel like they already know, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new releases.
These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 players across a wide range of regions and demographics. The survey uncovered a clear sense of disappointment among respondents toward what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market—games that are perceived as overly generic, safe, and lacking depth, and therefore fail to capture attention.
To illustrate this phenomenon, the report contrasted the market reception of two recent releases: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*. *Baldur’s Gate 3* succeeded by aiming at a narrowly defined audience that appreciated deep role‑playing mechanics and a rich narrative, while *Concord* entered a saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players already committed to free‑to‑play ecosystems to spend the $40 price tag. This case study underscores the advantage of targeting a specific player segment rather than chasing broad, undifferentiated appeal. Bain & Company examined publicly available data for 100 titles launched since 2023.
The findings were striking: 83 % of games that were deliberately focused on a particular player archetype achieved commercial success, compared with just 50 % of titles that took a more generic, unfocused approach. The data suggests that clarity of purpose is a strong predictor of financial performance.
Player preferences for game genres are also highly fragmented. When asked which type of experience they favored—story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, or competitive multiplayer—no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents.
About 20 % said their choice depends on mood or that the categories are roughly equal for them, while 17 % indicated they prefer other or niche types of games. The report also highlighted two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. Younger gamers, in particular, are devoting more of their playtime to a narrower set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as a focal point that has become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years. On the AI front, developers are increasingly leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines.
However, Bain warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk unless the game is built for a well‑defined audience: "It lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The firm argues 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 can articulate their target player in a single, concise sentence and commit to that vision ahead of competitors. 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 usage in the industry than they did a year ago, another 44 % remain unchanged, and fewer than one in seven report increased discomfort. Acceptance is especially high among teenagers: 59 % of respondents aged 13‑17 say they are more comfortable with AI this year, while 33 % see no change.
"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 spokesperson noted. The firm also points out that AI can deepen developers’ understanding of their audiences. A growing toolbox of analytics solutions can parse engagement patterns, surface what resonates with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and the community. Personalisation is a key outcome of these insights.
Tailored communications, bespoke advertising, and customized in‑game content can boost spending, especially among younger players. The report found that 86 % of teenagers report spending money on gaming‑related activities each month, compared with just over half of those in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of those in their 70s.
These activities include buying new titles, purchasing downloadable content, subscribing to services, and tipping streamers, but exclude hardware purchases such as consoles or VR headsets. Direct purchases from developers’ own web stores are also on the rise. Nearly half of gamers say they buy directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. This behaviour is most pronounced among the youngest cohort: 40 % of players aged 13‑17 reported multiple direct purchases in the past year.
Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain’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 the studios pulling ahead are those that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and have aligned every resource—AI, distribution, personalisation—behind that answer.