According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of that spending will be generated by consumers in just two markets—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these economies in the digital entertainment arena. The full report, slated for release on September 10, breaks down the forecast by platform, business model, and regional trends. Console hardware and software 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‑over‑year increase.
A key driver behind this uptick is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo predicts that the new title 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 remains the largest slice of the pie, projected to capture 57 percent of global revenues and generate $121.1 billion.
This 6.8 percent annual rise is fueled by higher average spend per player and the accelerating adoption of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels, which allow developers to sell games straight to gamers without intermediary platforms. A recent survey conducted by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that 96 percent of studios either already run or plan to launch a D2C web store.
The motivations cited include stronger brand visibility, deeper customer loyalty, and richer access to first‑party data that can inform future product decisions. In contrast, the PC segment is forecast to hold the smallest share of the market at 21 percent, equating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
Growth on this platform is expected to slow to 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, down from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) Newzoo had projected for 2025. Despite the slower pace, Newzoo anticipates that PC growth will be geographically diverse, with notable expansion in the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. When it comes to monetisation models, premium and mid‑priced releases are likely to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams, while microtransactions are set to reclaim the position of the largest business model across all platforms. This shift reflects the industry’s ongoing balancing act between high‑ticket, one‑time purchases and recurring, bite‑size revenue from in‑game purchases, cosmetics, and season passes.
Player‑base dynamics also feature prominently in the outlook. The total number of gamers worldwide is projected to grow more modestly, slowing from a 4.4 percent year‑over‑year increase in 2026 to a 3.2 percent CAGR through 2029. By the end of that period, Newzoo expects the global player population to reach approximately 4.07 billion. The firm emphasizes that future growth will hinge increasingly on retaining and monetising existing users rather than simply adding new ones to the ecosystem.
Regional analysis shows that growth is concentrating in emerging markets. Asia‑Pacific remains the largest region by player count, while the Middle East and Africa are expanding at the fastest rate. Mobile gamers are projected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing about 84 percent of all players. PC gamers are expected to reach 977 million (roughly 26 percent), and console players are forecast at 651 million (approximately 18 percent).
Overall player penetration is predicted to edge up slightly from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026. Newzoo notes that the room for expanding the base through deeper market penetration is limited; instead, growth will largely be driven by the online population itself expanding by an estimated 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people.
In summary, the 2026 outlook paints a picture of a maturing industry where the biggest revenue opportunities will stem from strategic releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, the continued rise of mobile platforms, and the increasing importance of D2C channels. Companies that can effectively engage their existing audiences, leverage data‑driven insights, and adapt to regional growth patterns are likely to capture the lion’s share of the $213.9 billion market.