According to Newzoo’s latest outlook, the worldwide video‑game market is set to expand by roughly 6.1 percent over the next year, climbing to an estimated $213.9 billion in 2026. More than half of that total spend is expected to come from two powerhouses—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these economies in the digital entertainment space. The figures stem from Newzoo’s Global Games Market Report, which will be released in full on September 10. The report breaks down revenue by platform, business model, and regional dynamics, offering a granular view of where growth is coming from and where challenges may lie.
**Console segment** Console‑related sales are projected to represent about 22 percent of the total market, translating to roughly $46.9 billion in revenue. This marks a 5.1 percent year‑over‑year increase and reflects steady demand for next‑generation hardware and premium titles. A key driver for this uplift is the highly anticipated release of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI, slated for a November launch.
Newzoo predicts that the new entry in the iconic franchise will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, making it the strongest growth among all business models in the sector. **Mobile gaming dominance** Mobile devices will continue to command the largest slice of the pie, accounting for 57 percent of global gaming revenue—about $121.1 billion. This segment is expected to grow 6.8 percent year‑over‑year, propelled by higher average spend per player and the expanding influence of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. A recent FastSpring and Omdia survey revealed that 96 percent of development studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C web stores.
Studios cite benefits such as stronger brand visibility, deeper customer loyalty, and richer first‑party data as primary motivations for this shift. **PC market outlook** The personal‑computer segment is forecast to hold the smallest share at 21 percent, equating to $45.9 billion.
Growth on PC is expected to slow to 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, a noticeable dip from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) Newzoo had projected for 2025. Despite the slower pace, PC growth is expected to be geographically diverse, with significant contributions from the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. **Business‑model trends** Premium and mid‑priced titles are anticipated to keep sustaining full‑game revenue streams, while microtransactions are poised to reclaim the position of the largest business model overall. This shift suggests that while high‑budget releases remain important, the industry’s cash flow will increasingly rely on smaller, recurring purchases embedded within games.
**Player‑base dynamics** The total number of gamers worldwide is projected to reach 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026. Newzoo cautions that future expansion will depend more on retaining and monetising existing players than on attracting new ones. This reflects a maturing market where the pool of potential new gamers is shrinking, and the emphasis shifts to deeper engagement and higher lifetime value. **Regional growth patterns** Growth is heavily concentrated in emerging markets.
The Asia‑Pacific region remains the largest contributor, while the Middle East and Africa are the fastest‑growing areas. Mobile gaming will dominate player numbers, with an estimated 3.10 billion mobile gamers in 2026—representing 84 percent of the total gaming population.
PC gamers are expected to number around 977 million (26 percent), and console players about 651 million (18 percent). **Penetration and market saturation** Player penetration—the proportion of the global online population that plays games—is slated to edge up from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026.
Newzoo notes that there is limited room for growth through deeper market penetration; instead, overall expansion will largely mirror the growth of the global online population, which is projected to rise 3.5 percent to 5.97 billion users. In summary, the upcoming year promises solid, if modest, growth for the gaming industry, driven by flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, continued dominance of mobile platforms, and an increasingly sophisticated approach to direct‑to‑consumer sales. However, the sector’s future will hinge on how effectively companies can keep existing players engaged and monetize them through a mix of premium titles, microtransactions, and innovative service models.