According to the latest projections from market‑research firm Newzoo, the worldwide video‑game industry is set to expand by roughly 6.1 percent in 2026, pushing total revenue to an estimated $213.9 billion. More than half of that spending will come from two of the world’s biggest consumer bases—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these markets in shaping global gaming trends. The figures are drawn from Newzoo’s comprehensive Global Games Market Report, which will be released in full on September 10.
The report breaks down revenue by platform, business model, and geographic region, offering a detailed picture of where growth is expected to originate and which segments will drive the most change. **Console segment** Console sales are predicted to make up 22 percent of the total market, delivering about $46.9 billion in revenue.
This represents a 5.1 percent increase over the previous year, reflecting steady demand for next‑generation hardware and a slate of high‑profile releases slated for late 2025 and early 2026. Among those, the most notable catalyst is the highly anticipated launch of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI in November 2026. Newzoo estimates that the new title will lift full‑game spending by 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth rate of any business model in the industry for the year. The excitement surrounding GTA VI is expected to ripple across the console ecosystem, boosting not only direct sales of the game itself but also ancillary revenue from downloadable content, season passes, and related merchandise.
**Mobile gaming** Mobile remains the largest platform by a wide margin, projected to capture 57 percent of total industry revenue—about $121.1 billion. This 6.8 percent year‑on‑year rise is driven by two converging forces.
First, players are spending more per user as premium titles and sophisticated live‑service games mature on smartphones and tablets. Second, the proliferation of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels—often operated by developers themselves—has lowered friction and increased the share of revenue that stays with the creators.
A recent FastSpring and Omdia survey highlighted that 96 percent of studios either already run a D2C storefront or plan to launch one, motivated by the promise of stronger brand visibility, higher customer loyalty, and richer first‑party data that can be leveraged for personalized marketing and retention strategies. **PC gaming** The personal‑computer segment is expected to account for the smallest slice of the market at 21 percent, generating roughly $45.9 billion. While still sizable, PC growth is forecast to slow to 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, a noticeable dip from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that Newzoo projected for 2025.
The slowdown reflects a maturing market and the fact that many of the most lucrative titles have already migrated to subscription or free‑to‑play models. Nevertheless, the PC space is anticipated to see geographically broad expansion, with particular momentum in the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) corridor.
These areas are experiencing rising disposable incomes, improved broadband penetration, and a growing appetite for high‑performance gaming rigs. **Business model dynamics** In terms of how revenue is generated, premium and mid‑priced full‑game releases are expected to continue sustaining the bulk of full‑game income throughout 2026.
At the same time, microtransactions—small in‑game purchases that unlock cosmetics, power‑ups, or additional content—are projected to reclaim their position as the dominant business model across platforms. This resurgence is tied to the increasing sophistication of live‑service titles that keep players engaged for months or even years, encouraging repeated small‑scale spending that aggregates into substantial revenue streams. **Player base outlook** The global player population is projected to reach 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026.
Newzoo cautions that future market expansion will rely more heavily on retaining and monetising existing gamers rather than simply adding new users. This shift reflects the limited room for growth through deeper market penetration—penetration is expected to edge up from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026—meaning that the overall online population will need to expand by roughly 3.5 percent, reaching an estimated 5.97 billion people.
**Regional distribution** Emerging markets continue to be the engine of growth. The Asia‑Pacific region remains the largest contributor to total revenue, while the Middle East and Africa are the fastest‑growing areas, driven by rapid smartphone adoption and improving internet infrastructure. Mobile gamers alone are projected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing 84 percent of all players.
PC gamers are expected to total 977 million (about 26 percent of the market), and console enthusiasts will number roughly 651 million, accounting for 18 percent. **Implications for developers and publishers** The data suggests several strategic imperatives for industry participants. First, the continued strength of the mobile platform underscores the importance of optimizing games for touch interfaces, battery efficiency, and short‑session play.
Second, the resurgence of microtransactions signals that developers should invest in robust in‑game economies and regular content updates to keep players engaged. Third, the anticipated impact of GTA VI highlights the value of flagship, narrative‑driven titles that can generate spikes in full‑game spending and cross‑promote other products in a publisher’s portfolio. In summary, Newzoo’s forecast paints a picture of a gaming market that is both expansive and increasingly nuanced.
While total revenues are set to climb past the $200 billion mark, the composition of that growth will vary by platform, region, and monetisation strategy. Companies that can adeptly navigate the shift toward D2C sales, leverage microtransaction models, and focus on player retention are likely to capture the largest share of this burgeoning ecosystem.