According to Newzoo’s upcoming 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 that spending is expected to come from two powerhouses—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these markets in shaping global gaming trends. The report, which will be released in full on September 10, breaks down the forecast by platform and business model, offering a detailed picture of where growth is likely to originate.
Console hardware and software sales are projected to account for 22 percent of the total market, translating to $46.9 billion in revenue and a year‑over‑year increase of 5.1 percent. A key driver behind this uplift is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ next‑generation title, Grand Theft Auto VI. Newzoo estimates that the new installment will lift full‑game spending by 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth among all business models in the sector. Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, forecast to capture 57 percent of total spend—about $121.1 billion.
This segment is expected to grow 6.8 percent year‑on‑year, buoyed by higher average spend per player and the accelerating adoption of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. A recent survey conducted by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that 96 percent of game studios either already run a D2C web store or plan to launch one. Studios cite improved brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and richer access to first‑party customer data as primary motivations for this shift. In contrast, the PC platform is slated to hold the smallest share of the market at 21 percent, equating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
While still growing—Newzoo predicts a 5.3 percent increase over the year—PC growth is expected to decelerate compared with the 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) projected for 2025. The report suggests that PC expansion will be geographically diverse, with notable gains in the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. When it comes to monetisation strategies, premium and mid‑priced titles are likely to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams. However, microtransactions are forecast to reclaim their position as the dominant business model across all platforms, reflecting a broader industry trend toward in‑game purchases and seasonal content updates.
This shift underscores the importance of retaining existing players and extracting additional value from them, rather than relying solely on attracting new users. Player‑base growth is projected to slow modestly. In 2026, the total number of gamers worldwide is expected to rise by 4.4 percent year‑on‑year, but the longer‑term CAGR from 2026 through 2029 is estimated at 3.2 percent. By the end of the forecast horizon, the global gaming population could reach approximately 4.07 billion people.
Newzoo notes that future expansion will increasingly hinge on deepening engagement with the current audience, as there is limited headroom for expanding penetration rates beyond the current 61.5 percent to a modest 62 percent in 2026. Regional dynamics reveal that growth is concentrating in emerging markets.
Asia‑Pacific remains the largest region by player count and revenue, while the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the fastest growth rates. Mobile gamers alone are projected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing 84 percent of the total player base. PC gamers are expected to reach 977 million (about 26 percent of all players), and console enthusiasts are forecast to number 651 million, or roughly 18 percent of the global audience.
The report also highlights that the overall online population is anticipated to expand by 3.5 percent, reaching 5.97 billion individuals. This modest increase in internet penetration contributes to the slight rise in overall player penetration, reinforcing the view that the gaming market’s future growth will be driven more by monetising existing users than by dramatically expanding the total number of gamers. In summary, Newzoo’s 2026 outlook paints a picture of steady, multi‑segment growth, with mobile leading the charge, consoles benefitting from marquee releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, and PC markets diversifying geographically. The industry’s strategic focus is shifting toward deeper engagement and monetisation of the current player base, leveraging D2C channels, microtransaction models, and premium content to sustain revenue momentum in an increasingly competitive landscape.