According to Newzoo’s upcoming Global Games Market Report, slated for full release on September 10, the worldwide video‑game sector is expected to expand by 6.1% over the coming year, bringing total revenues to roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of that spending is predicted to come from two of the largest consumer bases on the planet—China and the United States—underscoring the continued importance of these markets for developers and publishers alike. When the numbers are broken down by platform, console sales are forecast to represent about 22 percent of the total market, amounting to $46.9 billion.
This segment is set to grow at a healthy 5.1 percent annual rate, driven in part by the high‑profile release of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI in November. Newzoo estimates that the new title will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, marking the strongest growth among all business models tracked in the report.
Mobile gaming remains the dominant force, projected to capture 57 percent of global revenue—approximately $121.1 billion. The mobile segment’s year‑on‑year growth is expected to be 6.8 percent, a figure buoyed by both higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels. A recent study by FastSpring and Omdia highlighted that 96 percent of game studios either already run or plan to launch their own D2C storefronts.
The motivations cited include stronger brand visibility, deeper player loyalty, and the ability to collect first‑party data that can inform future product decisions. In contrast, the PC market is forecast to hold the smallest slice of the overall pie, with a 21 percent share translating to $45.9 billion in revenue. Growth on this platform is expected to slow to 5.3 percent year‑over‑year, a noticeable dip from the 12 percent compound annual growth rate that Newzoo projected for 2025. Despite the slower pace, PC growth is expected to be geographically diverse, with significant contributions from the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets.
Regarding business models, premium and mid‑priced titles are anticipated to continue sustaining revenue from full‑game purchases. Meanwhile, microtransactions are projected to reclaim their position as the largest source of income across all platforms, reflecting a broader industry shift toward ongoing monetisation strategies after launch. Player‑base dynamics also reveal interesting trends.
The total number of gamers worldwide is expected to increase from a 4.4 percent year‑on‑year rise in 2026 to a more modest 3.2 percent compound annual growth rate through 2029. By the end of that period, Newzoo projects the global player population will reach roughly 4.07 billion.
The firm notes that future growth will rely increasingly on retaining and monetising existing users rather than simply adding new ones to the ecosystem. Geographically, growth is concentrating in emerging markets. The Asia‑Pacific region remains the largest contributor to overall expansion, while the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the fastest growth rates. Mobile gamers alone are estimated to number 3.10 billion in 2026, accounting for about 84 percent of all players.
PC gamers are projected at 977 million (approximately 26 percent), and console enthusiasts at 651 million (roughly 18 percent). Penetration rates are also expected to inch upward, moving from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026. Newzoo emphasizes that there is limited scope for expanding the base through deeper market penetration; instead, growth will largely stem from the overall online population increasing by about 3.5 percent to reach 5.97 billion individuals. This subtle shift highlights the maturing nature of the gaming market, where the emphasis is moving from acquiring new users to maximising the value of the existing audience.
In summary, the forthcoming report paints a picture of a robust yet evolving industry. While revenue continues to climb, the pace of player‑base growth is decelerating, and the competitive landscape is being reshaped by factors such as D2C storefront adoption, the resurgence of microtransaction revenue, and regional variations in platform popularity. Stakeholders—from developers and publishers to investors and analysts—will need to adapt their strategies accordingly, focusing on deeper engagement, data‑driven monetisation, and tailored regional approaches to sustain momentum in the years ahead.