14 Trends for the Next 5 Years of PC and Console Games

The article projects how PC and console gaming will evolve over the next five years, drawing on device‑penetration data from Asymco and industry commentary. It argues that while the overall addressable device market will shrink for consoles (from ~10 % in 2010 to ~3 % by 2030) and for PCs (from >70 % to ~12 %), the total market remains sizable, with Google and Apple dominating distribution. The piece then outlines seven PC‑centric trends: catalog revenue remains critical, high‑hook low‑polish titles outperform polish‑heavy releases, discount pressure erodes new‑title margins, veteran developers face high cost bases, compact AAA projects can still succeed, indie “lottery” games thrive with small teams, and the sheer volume of titles dilutes visibility. The author rates the PC market a B‑, noting it is chaotic but still profitable for well‑positioned titles.

For consoles, seven trends highlight a reliance on flagship franchises (e.g., Resident Evil), strong performance for shooters, sports and ARPGs on PlayStation, limited third‑party success on Switch 2 due to saturated libraries, a still‑present but shrinking Xbox user base, and the challenge of breaking through discount‑heavy storefronts. Console sales are projected to remain below 50 % of PC totals for most titles, leading the author to give consoles a C‑ rating. The article concludes with brief coverage of recent Steam debuts and a call to action for paid subscribers, underscoring the need for strategic positioning in an increasingly competitive landscape.