According to the latest figures released by market‑research firm Newzoo, the performance of long‑running live‑service and evergreen titles in the first half of 2026 was essentially flat or even negative when compared with the same period in 2025. The newly issued Global Games Market Report highlights that only a handful of games managed to push the overall numbers upward. Those outliers included Blizzard’s flagship MMORPG World of Warcraft, the recently launched Diablo 4, Blizzard’s own Overwatch, the sandbox phenomenon Roblox, and a selection of international releases from Chinese giant Tencent. The report also notes that while PlayStation Plus is expected to act as a catalyst for growth in multi‑game subscription bundles, digital revenue streams across six major Western markets actually fell year‑over‑year during the first six months of 2026.
Newzoo attributes this dip to a weakening of both free‑to‑play models and the annualised premium segment, which together outweighed the positive impact of a few strong new releases. Looking ahead, Newzoo projects that the console player base will expand by roughly 3 % over the course of the year, a noticeable improvement over the almost‑flat 0.5 % growth recorded in 2025. The primary driver of this uptick is expected to be the launch of Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, an event that should also give PlayStation a renewed boost. In addition, first‑party titles slated for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 are anticipated to broaden the install base for ninth‑generation consoles.
Supporting this outlook, recent Nielsen IQ data reveal a sharp rise in console sales in the United Kingdom following the debut of GTA VI on Netflix. PlayStation 5 shipments jumped 33 % and Xbox sales climbed 34 % during the period immediately after the premiere, underscoring the strong halo effect that a marquee release can have on hardware demand.
Emmanuel “Manu” Rosier, Newzoo’s director of market intelligence, told GamesIndustry.biz that without the catalytic effect of GTA VI, console‑related revenue would likely have remained flat relative to 2025 levels. The analyst emphasized that the title’s broad appeal and cross‑generational reach are set to reignite consumer interest in traditional console ecosystems. The report also provides a snapshot of the top ten publicly traded gaming companies for the first quarter of 2026.
Collectively, these firms generated $37.4 billion in game‑related revenue, marking a 6.7 % increase over the same period a year earlier. Tencent retained its position at the summit, posting an 11.9 % rise to $10.8 billion. Sony followed with $5.2 billion, a slight decline of 0.9 %, while Microsoft reported $5.1 billion, down 5.5 %. Notably, Roblox experienced a 39.3 % year‑on‑year surge, bringing its quarterly revenue to $1.4 billion and securing the tenth spot on the list.
On a broader scale, Newzoo continues to forecast that the worldwide games market will reach $213.9 billion in 2026, representing a 6.1 % year‑over‑year expansion. The Asia‑Pacific region is projected to account for nearly half of this total, delivering approximately $100.7 billion in revenue.
China alone is expected to generate $58.1 billion, while North America will contribute $56.9 billion, with the United States accounting for $53.5 billion of that figure. Player numbers are also on the rise. Newzoo estimates that the global player base will hit 3.7 billion in 2026, a 4.4 % increase compared with the previous year.
Of these players, 44.6 % are expected to be spenders—a notable jump from the 39.4 % share recorded in 2015. This growing proportion of paying users is driving higher average revenue per paying user (ARPPU), which the firm projects to climb to $129.6, a modest 1.4 % gain year‑over‑year.
Newzoo attributes this uplift to deeper monetisation within the existing audience, rather than solely to new player acquisition. In summary, while the early‑2026 landscape showed limited growth for many established live‑service and evergreen titles, the sector is poised for a rebound driven by flagship releases such as Grand Theft Auto VI and a revitalised console ecosystem. The data suggest that strategic titles and subscription services will be crucial in sustaining momentum, especially as the market continues to expand across both hardware and software dimensions.