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Market Sizing & Forecasts

Market Sizing & Forecasts

How big the games market is, where it is heading, and what drives the growth.

140 documents

Cover of 2016 Global Games Market Report: An Overview of Trends & Insights

Newzoo · 2016

2016 Global Games Market Report: An Overview of Trends & Insights

The 2016 Global Games Market Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the international gaming landscape, offering revenue projections and trend forecasts for the 2015–2019 period. The primary thesis posits that the industry is undergoing a fundamental shift toward community-centric engagement, where gaming has evolved into a primary form of entertainment that transcends traditional hardware boundaries. By synthesizing proprietary data with external research, the report evaluates market performance across various geographic regions, device segments, and screen types. Key findings indicate that the global games market reached $99.6 billion in 2016, representing an 8.5% year-on-year growth. The Asia-Pacific region remains the dominant market, accounting for 47% of global revenues and experiencing 10.7% growth. Mobile gaming emerged as a critical driver, generating $36.9 billion—or 37% of the total market—with a significant 21.3% year-on-year increase. While virtual reality is identified as a significant technological development, the analysis concludes that its near-term financial impact will be marginal, with revenues largely absorbed into existing PC, console, and mobile segments. The report highlights the rising influence of esports, noting that traditional media companies are increasingly investing in the sector to capture millennial audiences. Furthermore, the data reveals a trend toward "games as a service," where developers prioritize community management and live-streaming integration. The top 20 countries, led by China and the United States, account for nearly 90% of total global game revenues. The methodology relies on a multi-source data aggregation approach, providing a granular look at market segments, including smartphone, tablet, handheld, and PC/console gaming, to assist industry stakeholders in strategic decision-making.

Cover of 2016 Global Esports Market Report: An Overview of the Esports Market & Its Valuable Audience

Newzoo · 2016

2016 Global Esports Market Report: An Overview of the Esports Market & Its Valuable Audience

The 2016 Global Esports Market Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the burgeoning esports economy, identifying it as a transformative force in the video game industry. The primary thesis posits that esports is shifting gaming from a personal activity to a spectator sport, creating significant monetization opportunities for publishers, brands, and media companies. By evolving games into entertainment brands, the industry is successfully engaging a highly valuable, difficult-to-reach demographic that traditional media increasingly fails to capture. Key findings highlight rapid financial and audience growth. The global esports economy reached $325 million in 2015, with projections indicating continued acceleration. The total esports audience is expanding, driven by a 13.3% year-over-year increase in enthusiasts. Revenue per enthusiast is also rising, climbing from $2.20 in 2014 toward a projected $6.00 by 2019. This growth is supported by a surge in non-endemic brand sponsorships and increased investment from media rights, merchandise, and ticket sales. The report covers a global scope, with specific data points across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and other regions. The methodology relies on a multi-layered approach, integrating complex databases, predictive modeling, and result validation through primary consumer research across 26 countries. By profiling esports awareness and engagement across 100+ variables, the analysis characterizes the audience as high-earning, tech-savvy, and more likely to spend on digital subscriptions, mobile gaming, and hardware than the general online population. Ultimately, the findings suggest that the esports market is maturing into a sustainable, high-value ecosystem that demands a specialized marketing approach distinct from traditional gaming audiences.

Cover of Games Workshop Group PLC Annual Report 2015

Games Workshop Group · 2015

Games Workshop Group PLC Annual Report 2015

Games Workshop’s 2015 fiscal year was defined by a major leadership transition and significant structural reorganization aimed at stabilizing the business for long-term growth. Under the new leadership of CEO Kevin Rountree, the company reported a profit before taxation of £16.6 million on revenues of £119.1 million. While total revenue saw a 3.5% decline from the previous year—attributed to currency headwinds and internal restructuring—net profit attributable to owners rose significantly from £8.0 million to £12.3 million. This recovery supported a substantial dividend payout of 52 pence per share, totaling £16.6 million, reflecting a core strategic commitment to returning surplus capital to shareholders. The company’s strategic focus shifted toward global expansion and operational efficiency, particularly through the rebranding of retail outlets to "Warhammer" and the implementation of a "one-man" store model to improve margins. Geographically, North America emerged as a key growth driver, contrasting with revenue declines in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. A pivotal product milestone was the relaunch of the core fantasy line as Warhammer: Age of Sigmar. Simultaneously, the company expanded its high-margin licensing portfolio, which included 50 interactive products, and invested £6.4 million in a new global ERP system to modernize its digital and logistical infrastructure. Operating with a workforce of 1,654 employees, the Group maintained a debt-free balance sheet and a strong cash position of £12.6 million. Governance and remuneration policies were updated to align with the new leadership, including a revised profit-sharing trigger based on sales revenue growth rather than operating profit. Despite some non-compliance issues regarding the UK Corporate Governance Code during the leadership handover, the company successfully formalized a global health and safety strategy and introduced a new all-employee Sharesave Plan. These initiatives underscore a transition toward a more standardized, scalable international business model focused on cash generation and disciplined capital allocation.

Cover of Casual Games Sector Report: Southeast Asia 2015

Newzoo · 2015

Casual Games Sector Report: Southeast Asia 2015

The Southeast Asia games market is positioned as a primary growth engine for the global industry, with total regional revenues projected to double to $2.2 billion by 2017. Driven by rapid economic development, increasing mobile internet connectivity, and a large, young population, the region is experiencing a compound annual growth rate of 28.8%—significantly outpacing comparable markets like Latin America and Eastern Europe. The sector is characterized by a high prevalence of mobile gaming, widespread English language proficiency, and a strong affinity for Western social media platforms, making it an accessible and strategic battleground for international developers and publishers. The market landscape is defined by the Big 6 countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Thailand currently leads the region in total game revenues, while Singapore boasts the highest average annual spend per payer at $189.30. Mobile gaming is the dominant segment across these nations, with Western titles—particularly those from publishers like King and Supercell—consistently ranking among the top grossing applications. While genre preferences vary by country, strategy and racing games frequently emerge as top performers among both paying and non-paying users. Data for this analysis is derived from 2014 and 2015 market research, including consumer surveys and financial modeling provided by Newzoo. The findings highlight that while the region shares certain demographic and connectivity trends, each country maintains distinct gamer behaviors and economic profiles. For instance, Malaysia exhibits a high rate of multi-screen gaming, whereas Vietnam is poised for the fastest mobile segment growth, with smartphone-based revenues expected to account for over 50% of its total market by 2017. These insights underscore the necessity for localized strategies to successfully navigate the diverse and rapidly evolving Southeast Asian gaming ecosystem.

Cover of Global Mobile Game Industry White Book: 2015

Global Mobile Game Confederation · 2015

Global Mobile Game Industry White Book: 2015

The global mobile gaming industry is undergoing a transformative shift, positioning itself as the dominant force within the broader interactive entertainment sector. With revenues projected to reach $30.1 billion in 2015, the market is fueled by rapid expansion across the Asia-Pacific region and a fundamental change in consumer behavior. Players are increasingly gravitating toward creative, competitive, and spectator-oriented experiences, a trend that is actively cannibalizing traditional gaming segments. Tablets and the integration of gaming within messaging platforms have emerged as critical catalysts for sustained engagement and future revenue growth. Regional dynamics reveal a bifurcated landscape of opportunity. China remains a high-engagement powerhouse, where users dedicate an average of 35 minutes daily to gaming, with a strong preference for card and role-playing titles. Conversely, Southeast Asia represents a rapidly maturing market, expected to double in revenue by 2017. This region offers a more accessible entry point for Western publishers, facilitated by widespread English proficiency and the standardized distribution infrastructure of the Google Play and iOS App Store ecosystems. Monetization strategies must account for distinct user archetypes, specifically the contrast between high-value spenders and casual free riders. Big spenders, typically employed men with family responsibilities, gravitate toward mid-core genres, whereas free riders are often students engaged in casual play. Because these groups exhibit significant variations in device usage and genre preferences across different geographies, developers must employ nuanced targeting strategies to effectively capture and monetize these diverse global audiences. Success in this evolving market depends on the ability to synthesize these demographic insights with regional technical and cultural trends.

Cover of Casual Games Sector Report 2015: World's Top Games Markets

Newzoo · 2015

Casual Games Sector Report 2015: World's Top Games Markets

The 2015 Casual Games Sector Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global games market, focusing on the shifting dominance between the United States and China. The primary thesis identifies China as the world’s largest games market as of 2015, projecting that the combined revenue of China and the US will account for 50% of the global market by 2018. While the US market remains significant, characterized by a strong console presence and a 3.1% compound annual growth rate, China’s rapid expansion is driven by massive mobile adoption and a dominant PC/MMO sector. Key findings indicate that China’s games market reached $22.2 billion in 2015, a 23% year-on-year increase, with mobile segments—specifically smartphone games—experiencing 50% growth. In contrast, the US market generated $22.0 billion in 2015, with 45% of revenue derived from TV, console, and VR platforms. Data highlights a distinct difference in consumer behavior: US mobile gamers show a higher propensity for "big spending" (4.8%) compared to Chinese counterparts (2.6%). Furthermore, genre preferences diverge significantly; social casino games represent 25.4% of top-grossing iOS revenues in the US, whereas such titles are largely restricted in China, where RPGs dominate the market. The analysis utilizes data from the 2015 Global Games Market Report, incorporating revenue projections, demographic breakdowns, and platform-specific performance metrics. The scope covers global industry trends with an emphasis on the US and China, spanning the period from 2012 to 2018. The findings conclude that while Western developers face challenges entering the Chinese ecosystem due to local publisher dominance, opportunities exist through strategic investments and cross-platform adaptations of successful titles.

Cover of El Futuro del Videojuego: Informe de Resultados (España)

ADeSe · 2010

El Futuro del Videojuego: Informe de Resultados (España)

The study set out to explore how Spanish video‑game players envision the medium’s evolution, focusing on genre development, social dimensions, technological advances, and the role of online and mobile gaming. It surveyed internet users aged 14‑44 who play at least once a month, using a quota‑based online questionnaire administered to a nationally representative sample of 332 respondents, with a 95 % confidence level and a 5.2 % margin of error. The sample reflects the regional distribution of Spain and is balanced by gender and three age brackets. Findings show that gaming is as routine as sport or social outings, with 56 % of participants engaging in video games several times a week. Men play more frequently than women (65 % versus 42 % regular play). A striking 90 % anticipate that by 2020 gaming will be ubiquitous across all ages, including grandparents, and 78 % expect it to become highly social, with solitary play becoming rare. Nearly nine out of ten respondents believe most games will be rendered in 3D and that conventional controllers will be replaced by motion‑detecting devices, while older players (35‑44) express the strongest confidence in full‑immersion virtual reality. The most appealing VR scenarios involve traveling to fantastical locations and learning new skills, interests that are especially pronounced among women, whereas men favor sports‑oriented experiences. Respondents also foresee extensive non‑gaming uses for VR, such as surgical simulation, virtual real‑estate tours, e‑commerce, and education from primary to university levels. Regarding online play, 72 % predict increased activity, with men leaning toward competitive environments and women toward social interaction. Parallel trends include a rise in home‑based cinema, social‑media use, and overall digital entertainment.

Cover of ¿Cómo Se Proyecta el Videojuego del Futuro?: España

AEVI · 2010

¿Cómo Se Proyecta el Videojuego del Futuro?: España

The study commissioned by ADESE explores how video games are expected to evolve, focusing on technological, social and market dynamics and projecting scenarios up to 2025. It seeks to understand current player behaviours, perceived barriers to online play, and the aspirations of different user segments for future gaming experiences. Research combined three perspectives—regular gamers, industry experts and parents—through focus groups organized by Buzz Research. Participants were grouped by age (16‑18, 19‑23 and 25‑35) and by playing profile, distinguishing hardcore players, casual players and an emerging “Cani” segment that blends moderate skill with regular play. Findings reveal that hardcore gamers dominate online activity but still rely heavily on offline play, while casual players show limited interest in online modes due to slow connections, language obstacles, trust issues and unfamiliar payment models. Parents mirror casual attitudes, valuing online interaction mainly for its social companionship. Projected developments for the medium term (around 2015) include cloud‑based distribution, motion‑sensing controls, high‑definition 3D graphics and AI‑driven personalization, with an emphasis on cross‑device compatibility. Long‑term visions (2020‑2025) anticipate immersive virtual‑reality environments, multisensory holographic interfaces, voice‑controlled menus and highly customizable controllers, suggesting a shift toward fully online ecosystems and digital‑only delivery. Experts anticipate that 100 % of future games will be online, driven by anti‑piracy incentives, streamlined matchmaking, enhanced security and ubiquitous broadband. Beyond entertainment, respondents agree that gaming technology will expand into education, senior‑care, professional training and therapeutic applications, leveraging interactive simulations for language learning, psychomotor skill development, conflict resolution and cognitive rehabilitation. The overall outlook combines cautious optimism about technological breakthroughs with recognition of current infrastructural and cultural hurdles that must be addressed for widespread adoption.

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