Global revenue from video‑game software has been expanding at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly 3 % over the last four years, and analysts expect the same trajectory to continue for the next four‑year period. Yet, despite this healthy market expansion, player behaviour shows a strong preference for the familiar: about two‑thirds of gamers say they gravitate toward sequels or titles they already know, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new games. These insights come from Bain & Company’s annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 players across a broad range of regions. The survey highlighted a pervasive sense of disappointment with what respondents termed the “unfocused middle” of the market – games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, failing to make a memorable impression.
To illustrate the point, Bain compared the reception of two recent releases: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*. *Baldur’s Gate 3* succeeded by aiming at a narrowly defined audience, delivering a deep, narrative‑driven experience that resonated strongly with fans of role‑playing games.
In contrast, *Concord* entered a saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players already invested in free‑to‑play ecosystems to part with a $40 price tag. When Bain examined public data for 100 titles launched since 2023, the numbers reinforced the importance of focus. Eighty‑three percent of games that were deliberately targeted at a specific player segment achieved commercial success, whereas only half of the unfocused, broadly‑aimed titles reached similar financial outcomes.
Player preferences for genre and play style are also highly fragmented. When asked to choose between story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox experiences with user‑generated content, or multiplayer‑centric games, no single category captured more than 26 % of the vote.
About 20 % of respondents said their choice varies depending on mood or that the categories are roughly equal for them, while 17 % indicated they favor other or niche types of games. The report identified two major forces reshaping the industry: rising demand from players and the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their playtime on a smaller set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as the de‑facto hub of the gaming ecosystem over the past five years. On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines.
However, Bain cautions that without a clearly defined target audience, AI can simply amplify a mis‑aligned bet: “It lets you scale the wrong bet faster.” The firm predicts that the studios that will thrive in the coming years won’t necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks, but rather those that commit early to building for a player they can describe in a single sentence. Player sentiment toward AI in game development has warmed over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI usage than they did a year ago, 44 % remain unchanged, and fewer than one in seven have grown less comfortable.
Acceptance is especially high among teens: 59 % of players aged 13‑17 report increased comfort with AI, while 33 % say their view is unchanged. “Studios worried about reputational risk from AI should see an opening,” said a Bain spokesperson. “The window to act is open, particularly with the audiences that will shape the market over the next decade.” The report also notes that AI can deepen developers’ understanding of their audiences. Emerging analytics tools can track engagement patterns, surface what resonates with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and the player community.
Personalisation is a key outcome of these insights. Tailored communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content can boost spending, especially among younger players. Indeed, 86 % of teenagers reported spending money on gaming‑related activities each month, compared with just over half of gamers in their 50s, 36 % of those in their 60s, and 27 % of players in their 70s. These activities include buying new titles, purchasing downloadable content, subscribing to services, and tipping streamers, but exclude hardware purchases such as consoles or VR headsets.
Bain also discovered that nearly half of gamers make at least one direct purchase from a developer’s own web store each year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. This behaviour is most pronounced among the youngest cohort, with 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reporting multiple direct purchases in the past year. Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice, summed up the strategic implication: “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.” He added, “The studios pulling ahead are the ones that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and are aligning every resource behind that answer—AI, distribution, and personalisation alike."