The worldwide market for gaming software has been expanding at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly 3% over the last four years, and analysts expect that momentum to persist for another four-year cycle. Despite this overall upward trajectory, player behavior shows a strong preference for 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 releases.
These insights 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 widespread dissatisfaction with what the firm labels the "unfocused middle" of the market—games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, and therefore fail to capture attention. To illustrate the concept, Bain & Co compared the reception of two very different products. "Baldur’s Gate 3" succeeded by aiming at a narrowly defined audience of role‑playing enthusiasts, delivering a deep, narrative‑driven experience that resonated strongly with that segment.
In contrast, "Concord" entered a saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players who were already invested in free‑to‑play ecosystems to spend a $40 premium price. The contrast highlights how a clear, specific target can translate into stronger market performance. When the firm examined public data on 100 games launched since 2023, the numbers reinforced the point: 83% of titles that were deliberately focused on a particular player type achieved commercial success, whereas only half of the more generic, unfocused releases met their sales expectations.
Player preferences for game genres are also highly fragmented. When respondents were asked to choose between story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content experiences, and multiplayer‑centric titles, no single category captured more than 26% of the vote. About 20% said their choice varies depending on mood or context, and another 17% either selected "none of the above" or mentioned other niche categories.
Bain & Co also identified two major forces reshaping the industry today: growing player demand for deeper experiences and the rapid adoption of generative AI technologies. The report notes that younger gamers are concentrating their playtime on a limited set of platforms—Roblox being a prime example— which the firm describes as becoming "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years.
On the AI front, developers are increasingly leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines. However, the firm warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk if the underlying game concept lacks a well‑defined audience. As Bain & Co phrased it, AI "lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The firms that will thrive, according to the analysis, are not necessarily those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks, but those that commit early to building for a player they can describe in a single sentence. Player sentiment toward AI in game development has become more positive over the last year.
Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers said they feel more comfortable with AI usage now than they did twelve months ago, another 44% reported no change, and fewer than one in seven expressed increased discomfort. The trend is especially pronounced among younger players: 59% of those aged 13‑17 indicated greater comfort with AI, while 33% said their opinion remained unchanged. "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 highlighted how AI can deepen developers’ understanding of their audiences.
Emerging analytics tools can parse engagement patterns, surface what resonates with specific segments, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and communities. These capabilities enable highly personalized experiences—tailored in‑game offers, custom communications, and targeted advertisements that speak directly to individual players. Bain & Co found that such personalization drives higher spending, especially among teenagers. In fact, 86% of teens reported making at least one gaming‑related purchase each month, compared with just over half of players in their 50s, 36% of those in their 60s, and 27% of those in their 70s.
Gaming‑related purchases encompass new game copies, downloadable content, subscription services, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware like consoles or VR headsets. The report also revealed that nearly half of all gamers buy directly from a developer’s own web store at least once a year, and 27% do so repeatedly. This direct‑to‑consumer trend is strongest among the youngest cohort, with 40% of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reporting multiple direct purchases in the past year.
"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," said Anders Christofferson, global lead of Bain & Co’s Video Game sector and partner in its Media & Entertainment practice.
He added, "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 personalization alike."