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. Despite this healthy financial trajectory, player behaviour remains heavily tilted toward the familiar: about two‑thirds of respondents said they gravitate toward sequels or titles they already know, while merely one in five actively seeks out brand‑new experiences.
These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad range of regions and demographics. The survey revealed a widespread frustration with what the firm calls the “unfocused middle” of the market – games that are overly generic, safe, or shallow, and therefore fail to capture attention. To illustrate the point, Bain compared the market reception of two recent releases: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Concord.
Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience that craved deep role‑playing mechanics and narrative depth. In contrast, Concord entered a saturated hero‑shooter segment and struggled to persuade players who were already invested in free‑to‑play ecosystems to spend a $40 premium price. This case study underscores a broader trend uncovered by the firm’s analysis of public data on 100 titles launched since 2023: 83 % of games that were sharply targeted at a specific player type achieved commercial success, whereas only half of the more generic, unfocused titles managed to turn a profit. Player preferences for genre and style are also highly fragmented.
When asked which type of experience they preferred – story‑driven adventures, open sandbox worlds with user‑generated content, or multiplayer competition – no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents. About 20 % said their choice varied depending on mood or that they considered the categories roughly equal, and another 17 % either selected “none of the above” or mentioned other niche genres. The report also highlights two powerful forces reshaping the industry: rising player demand for deeper engagement and the rapid adoption of generative AI in development pipelines. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a limited set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as a de‑facto hub that has become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years.
On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate content creation, but Bain warns that without a clear target audience this speed can amplify the wrong bets. "It lets you scale the wrong bet faster," the report notes. The firm predicts 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 rather those that can articulate their ideal player in a single, concise sentence and commit to serving that audience before their rivals do.
Player sentiment toward AI in game development has softened over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI usage than they did a year ago, another 44 % say their comfort level is unchanged, and fewer than one in seven express increased discomfort.
Acceptance is especially high among the 13‑to‑17 age group, where 59 % report greater comfort with AI and 33 % remain neutral. Bain’s analysts argue that this shift opens a window of opportunity for studios worried about reputational risk. "For studios concerned that AI adoption could alienate their player base, the data suggests the window to move is open, particularly with the audiences who will define the market over the next decade," said a senior partner.
Moreover, AI can provide developers with richer insights into player behaviour. Emerging analytics tools can dissect engagement patterns, surface the elements that resonate most with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and communities. These capabilities enable highly personalized experiences, from tailored in‑game offers and custom advertising to bespoke content streams for individual users.
Bain found that such personalization drives higher spending, especially among teenagers. Eighty‑six percent of players aged 13‑17 reported 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. Gaming‑related expenditures include purchases of new titles, downloadable content, subscription services, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware like consoles or VR headsets. The study also reveals purchasing channel preferences.
Nearly half of all gamers buy directly from developers’ online stores at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. This direct‑to‑consumer trend is most pronounced among younger players: 40 % of the 13‑to‑17 cohort reported multiple direct purchases in the past year. "The question for gaming executives is no longer solely about reaching more players.
It's about reaching the right players, in the right way, and gaining greater ownership over that relationship," said Anders Christofferson, global lead of Bain’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice. He added that the studios pulling ahead are those that have deliberately defined who they are building for and aligned every resource – from AI tools to distribution strategies to personalization tactics – behind that singular vision.
In summary, the Bain & Company Gaming Report paints a picture of an industry where growth is steady, but success hinges on clarity of purpose. Games that carve out a distinct niche and speak directly to a well‑defined audience are far more likely to thrive than those that aim for broad, undifferentiated appeal. At the same time, the convergence of heightened player expectations and powerful AI-driven development tools offers both a challenge and an opportunity: studios that combine precise audience targeting with intelligent, data‑informed personalization are poised to capture the most value in the evolving gaming landscape.