According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, slated for full release on September 10, the worldwide video‑game sector is on track to expand by 6.1 percent over the next year, pushing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of this consumer spend is expected to come from two powerhouses—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these markets in shaping global gaming trends. When the numbers are broken down by platform, consoles are forecast to generate $46.9 billion, representing about 22 percent of the total market and reflecting a modest 5.1 percent year‑over‑year increase.
A key driver behind this uplift is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ next‑generation title, Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo predicts that the blockbuster will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, a surge that the firm labels as the strongest growth among all business models in the industry. Mobile gaming remains the heavyweight champion of platform share, projected to capture 57 percent of global revenue—equating to $121.1 billion.
This segment’s growth rate of 6.8 percent YoY is being fueled by two complementary forces: higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. A recent joint survey by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that an overwhelming 96 percent of game studios either already run a D2C storefront or have concrete plans to do so. Studios cite benefits such as stronger brand visibility, deeper customer loyalty, and richer first‑party data as the primary motivations for embracing these channels. In contrast, the PC segment is expected to hold the smallest slice of the market at 21 percent, translating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
While still posting a healthy 5.3 percent annual increase, PC growth is projected to decelerate relative to the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that Newzoo had forecast for 2025. The firm attributes this slowdown to market maturation and the shifting focus of developers toward mobile‑first and console‑first strategies. From a business‑model perspective, premium and mid‑priced releases are slated to continue sustaining revenue from full‑game purchases. Meanwhile, microtransactions—small, in‑game purchases—are expected to reclaim their position as the largest revenue generator across all platforms.
The PC market’s modest growth is anticipated to be geographically diverse, with strong contributions from the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Player‑base dynamics also paint an evolving picture.
Newzoo projects that the total number of gamers worldwide will climb to 4.07 billion by 2029, but the pace of growth is set to temper. After a 4.4 percent year‑over‑year rise in 2026, the compound annual growth rate is expected to settle at 3.2 percent through 2029.
This shift signals that future expansion will rely more on retaining and monetising existing players rather than simply onboarding new ones. Emerging markets are increasingly shouldering the bulk of growth.
The Asia‑Pacific region remains the largest contributor, while the Middle East and Africa are the fastest‑growing areas in terms of player adoption. Mobile gamers alone are projected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, accounting for roughly 84 percent of the total gaming population. PC gamers are expected to reach 977 million (about 26 percent), and console enthusiasts will number around 651 million (approximately 18 percent).
Overall player penetration is forecast to inch upward from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026. Newzoo cautions that there is limited headroom for expanding the base through deeper market penetration; instead, growth will largely stem from the overall online population expanding by an estimated 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion people.
In this context, the industry’s strategic focus is expected to shift toward maximizing the value extracted from existing users—through enhanced engagement, richer content ecosystems, and more sophisticated monetisation techniques—rather than relying solely on acquiring new gamers. In summary, the forthcoming report paints a picture of a robust yet maturing gaming landscape. While total revenues are set to breach the $200 billion threshold, the composition of that revenue is evolving: consoles benefit from marquee releases, mobile continues its dominance, and PCs experience steadier, region‑driven growth. The rise of D2C storefronts, the resurgence of microtransactions, and the gradual slowdown in player‑base expansion collectively signal that the industry’s next phase will be defined by deeper monetisation strategies and a heightened emphasis on sustaining existing audiences across an increasingly diverse global market.