According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is on track to expand by 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of this spending is expected to come from two powerhouses—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these markets in shaping industry trends. The full report, slated for public release on September 10, breaks down the forecast by platform, business model, and geography, offering a granular view of where growth will originate.
Console sales, for instance, are projected to represent 22 percent of the total market, amounting to $46.9 billion, and are anticipated to grow at a 5.1 percent annual rate. A major catalyst for this uplift is the highly anticipated November release of Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo predicts that the blockbuster title will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth among all business models in the sector. Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, expected to capture 57 percent of global revenue and generate $121.1 billion.
This segment’s year‑on‑year growth of 6.8 percent is driven 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 96 percent of game studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C web stores.
Developers cite improved brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and richer first‑party data as the primary incentives for moving away from traditional marketplace reliance. In contrast, the PC platform is forecast to hold the smallest market share at 21 percent, translating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
While still growing—at an estimated 5.3 percent year‑on‑year—PC’s pace is expected to decelerate relative to the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) projected for 2025. Newzoo attributes this slowdown to a maturing ecosystem and heightened competition from mobile and console titles. When it comes to monetisation models, premium and mid‑tier releases are expected to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams. Meanwhile, microtransactions are set to reclaim their position as the dominant business model across all platforms, reflecting the industry’s ongoing shift toward continuous, in‑game spending rather than one‑time purchases.
Geographically, growth is projected to be broadly distributed, with the Asia‑Pacific region leading the charge. Emerging markets across Latin America and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) corridor are also slated to experience rapid expansion, positioning them as key contributors to the overall market uplift. Player‑base growth, however, is predicted to modestly decelerate: the year‑on‑year increase is expected to fall from 4.4 percent in 2026 to a 3.2 percent CAGR through 2029.
By the end of the forecast horizon, the global gaming audience is estimated to reach 4.07 billion players. Newzoo emphasizes that future expansion will hinge less on attracting brand‑new gamers and more on retaining and monetising the existing user base. This strategic pivot reflects the limited headroom for deeper market penetration—player penetration is projected to inch up from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026, suggesting that the bulk of growth will stem from the expanding online population, which is expected to rise by 3.5 percent to 5.97 billion people.
In terms of platform‑specific player counts, mobile gamers are forecast to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing a staggering 84 percent of the total gaming population. PC enthusiasts are expected to reach 977 million players (about 26 percent), while console users are projected at 651 million, accounting for roughly 18 percent of all gamers.
The report also highlights that the Middle East and Africa regions are growing at the fastest pace, even though their absolute numbers remain smaller than those of the traditional powerhouses. This rapid acceleration is driven by increasing smartphone penetration, improved broadband infrastructure, and a youthful demographic that is eager to engage with interactive entertainment. Overall, Newzoo’s outlook paints a picture of a maturing yet still vibrant industry.
While the era of explosive user‑base growth may be tapering, the sector’s financial health appears robust, buoyed by higher spend per player, diversified revenue models, and strategic shifts toward direct‑to‑consumer relationships. As developers and publishers adapt to these dynamics—leveraging flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, expanding D2C storefronts, and refining microtransaction strategies—the global games market is poised to sustain solid, double‑digit revenue growth well into the late 2020s.