The worldwide 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 continue for another four‑year cycle. Despite this healthy macro‑trend, player behavior remains heavily tilted toward 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 experiences.
These findings come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 players across a broad range of regions and demographics. The survey uncovered a pronounced frustration with what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market – games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, and therefore fail to capture attention. To illustrate the point, Bain & Co contrasted the market reception of two recent releases.
"Baldur’s Gate 3" succeeded by zeroing in on a narrowly defined, highly engaged audience that craved deep role‑playing mechanics and narrative depth. In contrast, "Concord" entered an already saturated hero‑shooter space and struggled to persuade players who were accustomed to free‑to‑play models to part with a $40 price tag.
The comparison underscores a broader pattern: when developers target a specific player archetype, they are far more likely to see commercial returns. An analysis of public data for 100 titles launched since 2023 supports this observation. Focused games – those built for a clearly identified segment – achieved commercial success in 83 percent of cases, whereas only half of the unfocused, broadly aimed titles reached similar performance levels.
Player preferences for game genres are also highly fragmented. When asked to choose between story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox experiences with user‑generated content, or multiplayer‑centric titles, no single category attracted more than 26 percent of respondents. About 20 percent indicated that their preference shifts depending on mood or that they view the categories as roughly equal, while 17 percent either selected "none of the above" or mentioned other, less common game types. The report also highlights two major forces reshaping the industry: rising player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative AI.
Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating their time on a narrower set of platforms – with Roblox singled out as the emerging "center of gravity" for the entire ecosystem over the past five years. Regarding AI, Bain & Co notes that developers are increasingly leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines.
However, the firm warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk unless there is a clear target audience: "It lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The analysts argue 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 those that can articulate their ideal player in a single, concise sentence and commit to that vision ahead of competitors. Player sentiment toward AI in game creation has softened over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with AI’s role in the industry than they did a year ago, another 44 percent say their comfort level is unchanged, and fewer than one in seven respondents report increased discomfort.
The shift is especially pronounced among teenagers. Fifty‑nine percent of players aged 13‑17 say they are more at ease with AI this year, while 33 percent say their view has stayed the same.
This suggests that the next generation of consumers is more receptive to AI‑enhanced experiences, providing studios with a window of opportunity to integrate these technologies without alienating their core audience. "For studios worried that AI adoption carries reputational risk with their player base, this data suggests the window to move is open, particularly with the audiences who will define the market over the next decade," a Bain & Co spokesperson explained. The firm also points out that AI can serve as a powerful analytical engine, helping developers decode player engagement patterns, surface what resonates with specific segments, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and communities.
Personalisation is a key benefit of these AI‑driven insights. Tailored communications, targeted advertisements, and bespoke in‑game content can be delivered to individual players, a strategy that Bain & Co found to boost spending, especially among younger demographics. In fact, 86 percent of teenagers reported making at least one gaming‑related purchase each month, compared with just over half of players in their 50s, 36 percent of those in their 60s, and 27 percent of those in their 70s. These purchases encompass new games, downloadable content, subscription services, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware such as consoles or VR headsets.
Direct sales channels are also gaining traction. Nearly half of all gamers said they buy directly from a developer’s web store at least once a year, and 27 percent do so repeatedly. The tendency is strongest among the youngest cohort, with 40 percent of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reporting multiple direct purchases in the past year. Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain & Co’s Video Game sector and partner in the Media & Entertainment practice, 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. 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."