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 that momentum to persist for the next four-year horizon. Despite this overall growth, player behavior reveals a striking preference for the familiar: about two‑thirds of gamers say they gravitate toward sequels or titles that feel known to them, while only 20 percent actively seek out brand‑new experiences. These insights come from Bain & Company’s most recent annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 players across a wide range of regions and demographics.
The survey asked participants to evaluate their satisfaction with the current slate of releases and to describe the types of games that capture their interest. A recurring theme among respondents was frustration with what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market. This term refers to games that play it safe—titles that are overly generic, shallow, and fail to differentiate themselves from the crowd.
To illustrate the contrast, Bain & Co highlighted two recent releases: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Concord. Baldur’s Gate 3 succeeded by zeroing in on a narrowly defined audience of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering a deep, narrative‑driven experience that resonated strongly with that segment. In contrast, Concord entered an already saturated hero‑shooter space and struggled to persuade players who were accustomed to free‑to‑play models to spend a full $40 on the game. When the analysts examined public performance data for 100 games launched since 2023, the numbers reinforced the importance of focus.
Eighty‑three percent of titles that were built for a specific player archetype reached commercial success, whereas only half of the more broadly aimed, unfocused games managed to turn a profit. This suggests that a clear, well‑defined target audience is a decisive factor in a game’s financial outcome. Player preferences for genre and style 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 captured more than 26 percent of the vote.
About one‑fifth of respondents indicated that their choice depends on mood or that they treat the categories as roughly equal, while 17 percent selected "none of the above" or listed other niche preferences. The report also identified 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. Bain & Co describes Roblox as having become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years, drawing massive engagement from a teen‑heavy audience.
On the AI front, developers are increasingly leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines. However, the firm warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk unless it is applied to a product that already has a clearly defined player. As one Bain analyst put it, AI can "scale the wrong bet faster" if the underlying concept lacks a precise audience. Looking ahead, the consultants argue that the studios that will thrive are not necessarily those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks.
Success will belong to teams that, early in the development cycle, can articulate their target player in a single, concise sentence and then align all resources—including AI, distribution channels, and personalization efforts—around that vision. Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has softened over the past year. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI’s role in the industry than they did twelve months ago, another 44 percent say their comfort level is unchanged, and fewer than one in seven express increased discomfort. The trend is especially pronounced among younger players: 59 percent of those aged 13‑17 report heightened comfort with AI, while 33 percent say their opinion remains the same.
Bain & Co interprets these findings as a green light for studios hesitant about the reputational risks of AI adoption. "The window to move is open, particularly with the audiences who will define the market over the next decade," the report states.
Moreover, AI can serve as a powerful analytical engine, helping developers decode player behavior, surface the features that resonate most, and close the feedback loop between creators and their communities. Personalization is another lever that the report highlights. Tailored communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content can boost player spending, especially among teenagers.
In fact, 86 percent of teens say they spend money on gaming‑related activities each month, compared with just over half of those in their 50s, 36 percent of players in their 60s, and 27 percent of those in their 70s. These activities encompass purchases of new games, downloadable content, subscription services, and even tips for streamers, but they exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets.
The study also uncovered a notable shift in purchasing behavior: nearly half of all gamers reported buying directly from a developer’s own web store at least once per year, and 27 percent said they do so repeatedly. This direct‑to‑consumer trend is strongest among the youngest cohort, with 40 percent of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds making multiple direct purchases in the past twelve months.
Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain’s Video Game practice and partner in the Media & Entertainment group, 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—AI, distribution, personalization—to serve that audience. In summary, the Bain & Co Gaming Report paints a picture of an industry at a crossroads.
While overall revenue continues to climb modestly, the majority of gamers prefer familiar experiences, and only a small fraction actively hunt for new titles. Success appears increasingly tied to a laser‑focused understanding of a specific player segment, the smart use of AI to enhance—not replace—that focus, and the ability to personalize offers and communication.
Studios that can integrate these elements are poised to capture the loyalty and spending of the next generation of gamers.