The global market for video‑game software has been expanding at a modest but steady pace, registering a compound annual growth rate of roughly three percent over the last four years. Industry forecasts suggest that this trajectory will continue for the next several years, keeping the sector on a gentle upward slope.
Yet, beneath these positive macro‑level numbers lies a striking behavioural pattern among players: about two‑thirds of them gravitate toward familiar titles or sequels, while only one in five actively seeks out brand‑new games. These insights come from Bain & Company’s latest annual Gaming Report, which compiled responses from more than 5,300 gamers across a broad geographic spread.
The survey asked participants about their preferences, satisfaction levels, and attitudes toward emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence. A recurring theme among respondents was frustration with what the firm labels the "unfocused middle" of the market. This segment consists of games that are overly generic, safe, and lacking in depth, making them difficult for players to differentiate or become passionate about. To illustrate the impact of focus versus breadth, Bain & Co highlighted two recent releases: *Baldur’s Gate 3* and *Concord*.
The former succeeded by honing in on a narrowly defined audience that craved deep, narrative‑driven role‑playing experiences. In contrast, *Concord* entered an already saturated hero‑shooter arena and struggled to persuade players who were accustomed to free‑to‑play models to spend a full $40 on the title. When the researchers examined public performance data for 100 games launched since 2023, they discovered a stark contrast: 83 % of titles that were purposefully targeted at a specific player segment achieved commercial success, whereas only half of the more generic, unfocused releases met their sales expectations. This suggests that a clear, well‑defined audience is a far stronger predictor of financial performance than simply having a large budget or cutting‑edge graphics.
Player preferences also appear highly fragmented across genres. When asked to choose their ideal gaming experience—whether a story‑driven adventure, an open sandbox with user‑generated content, or a multiplayer competition—no single category attracted more than 26 % of respondents. About one‑fifth of participants said their choice varied depending on mood or that they treated the categories as roughly equal, while 17 % indicated they preferred other types of games not listed in the survey.
The report identified two major forces reshaping the industry today: escalating player expectations and the rapid adoption of generative AI tools. Younger gamers, in particular, are concentrating more of their playtime on a limited set of platforms, with Roblox highlighted as a prime example.
Bain & Co describes Roblox as having become "the centre of gravity for the entire gaming ecosystem" over the past five years, underscoring how a single sandbox environment can dominate attention and spending. On the technology front, developers are increasingly leveraging generative AI to accelerate content creation, streamline asset production, and even assist with narrative design.
However, the firm warns that AI alone does not mitigate risk unless it is paired with a precise player target. As one Bain analyst put it, "AI lets you scale the wrong bet faster." The companies that will thrive, according to the report, are not necessarily those with the deepest pockets or the most sophisticated AI pipelines, but those that can articulate their ideal player in a single sentence and commit to that vision earlier than their competitors. Player sentiment toward AI in game development has softened over the past year.
Forty‑two percent of surveyed gamers now feel more comfortable with the industry's use of AI than they did twelve months ago, another 44 % remain unchanged, and fewer than one in seven expressed increased discomfort. Acceptance is especially high among teenagers: 59 % of respondents aged 13‑17 reported greater comfort with AI this year, while 33 % said their opinion stayed the same.
Bain & Co interprets these numbers as a green light for studios that have been hesitant to adopt AI out of fear of alienating their audience. "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," the firm wrote. Moreover, AI can serve as a powerful analytical engine, helping developers decode player behaviour, surface the elements that resonate most, and create tighter feedback loops between creators and communities. Personalisation is another lever that the report highlights.
By using AI‑driven tools to craft tailored communications, advertisements, and in‑game content, developers can increase player spend, especially among younger demographics. The data shows that 86 % of teenagers report 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 encompass buying new titles, purchasing downloadable content, subscribing to services, and tipping streamers, but they exclude hardware purchases such as consoles or VR headsets. Direct purchases from developers’ own web stores are also gaining traction.
Nearly half of all gamers said they buy directly from a developer at least once a year, and 27 % do so repeatedly. The trend is most pronounced among the youngest cohort: 40 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds reported multiple direct purchases in the past twelve months.
Anders Christofferson, global lead for Bain’s Video Game practice and partner in its Media & Entertainment division, summed up the strategic implication: "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." He added that studios that are pulling ahead are those that have made a deliberate choice about who they are building for and have aligned every resource—AI, distribution, personalisation—behind that answer.
In summary, the Bain & Company Gaming Report paints a picture of an industry where modest growth coexists with a highly discerning audience. Success increasingly hinges on clarity of purpose, the ability to target a specific player archetype, and the smart use of AI to both accelerate development and deepen player insight. Companies that can combine these elements are poised to capture a larger share of the spending pie, while those that chase generic, unfocused projects risk being left behind.