The global market for video‑game software has been expanding at a steady compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years, and analysts expect that momentum to continue for the next four‑year cycle. Despite this healthy growth, player behavior shows a pronounced 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 looks for brand‑new experiences. These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which gathered responses from more than 5,300 players across a wide range of regions and demographics. The survey revealed a widespread frustration with what the firm calls the "unfocused middle" of the market—games that are overly generic, safe, and shallow, and therefore fail to capture attention.
To illustrate the point, Bain compared the reception of two very different releases. "Baldur’s Gate 3" succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience that craved deep role‑playing and narrative complexity. 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 full $40 on the title.
The comparison underscores how a precise targeting strategy can make the difference between commercial triumph and disappointment. When Bain examined public data for 100 games launched since 2023, the numbers reinforced this narrative. Focused titles—those aimed at a specific player segment—achieved commercial success in 83 % of cases, whereas only half of the unfocused, broadly aimed games managed to turn a profit.
This gap highlights the value of clarity in design and marketing. Player preferences for game genres are also highly fragmented. When asked to choose between story‑driven adventures, open‑world sandbox or user‑generated content, and multiplayer experiences, no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents. About 20 % said their choice depends on mood or that they treat the categories as roughly equal, and 17 % selected "none of the above" or mentioned other types of games.
The data suggests that gamers are not a monolithic audience; instead, they are a mosaic of niche interests. The report also identified two major forces reshaping the industry: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative AI. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating more of their playtime on a limited set of platforms, with Roblox singled out as a focal point that has become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years.
On the AI front, developers are leveraging generative tools to accelerate production pipelines. However, Bain warns that without a well‑defined target audience, AI can simply amplify a mis‑aligned bet: "It lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The firm predicts that the studios that will thrive in the coming years will not necessarily be those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI stacks, but those that can articulate their intended player in a single, clear sentence and commit to that vision ahead of their rivals. Player sentiment toward AI in game development has softened over the last twelve months. Forty‑two percent of survey participants now feel more comfortable with AI usage than they did a year ago, another 44 % say their view is unchanged, and fewer than one in seven express increased discomfort.
Acceptance is especially high among the 13‑to‑17 age group, where 59 % report greater comfort with AI and 33 % remain neutral. "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 spokesperson noted.
The firm also highlighted how AI can deepen developers’ understanding of their audiences. Emerging analytics tools can parse engagement patterns, surface the features that resonate most with a target segment, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and players.
Personalisation is another lever that Bain says can boost revenue, especially among teenagers. Tailored communications, targeted advertising, and bespoke in‑game content can encourage higher spending.
In fact, 86 % of teenagers reported spending money on gaming‑related activities 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. These activities include purchasing new titles, downloadable content, subscriptions, and streamer tips, but exclude hardware purchases such as consoles or VR headsets.
Direct purchases from developers’ own web stores are also on the rise. Nearly half of gamers said they buy directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. The trend is strongest among the youngest cohort: 40 % of 13‑to‑17‑year‑olds reported 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’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 personalisation alike."