ReportNewzoo
Newzoo’s Global Games Market Report 2021
1 Jan 202123 pages~18 min full read
The global games market is projected to reach 2.8 billion players and $189.3 billion in revenue in 2021, with growth concentrated in emerging markets like Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Cloud gaming is expected to exceed $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time, as high-fidelity titles enable users to bypass traditional hardware limitations.
Apple’s removal of the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) is forcing mobile publishers to pivot away from traditional user acquisition toward IP-based games and creative marketing strategies.
5G smartphone penetration is set to triple by the end of 2021, with 16% of active devices becoming 5G-ready to support increasingly immersive mobile experiences.
Games are evolving into social platforms for non-gaming events, as evidenced by virtual concerts hosted within titles like Fortnite and Roblox.
Next-generation console availability remains constrained by supply chain disruptions, while remote development challenges are causing delays for major AAA software releases.
Esports organizations are diversifying into lifestyle brands and content-creator collectives as mobile titles begin to surpass traditional PC games in viewership metrics.
This analysis explores the trajectory of the global games, esports, and mobile markets for 2021, forecasting a year of sustained engagement despite the easing of pandemic-related lockdowns. The primary thesis suggests that while the explosive growth of 2020 will normalize, gaming habits have become deeply ingrained, positioning the global market to reach 2.8 billion players and $189.3 billion in revenue. Growth is expected to be particularly robust in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Key findings highlight a significant shift toward platform agnosticism and the "metaverse." Cloud gaming is projected to surpass $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time, driven by high-fidelity experiences like Cyberpunk 2077 that bypass expensive hardware requirements. Simultaneously, games are evolving into social platforms for non-gaming events, exemplified by virtual concerts in Fortnite and Roblox. In the hardware sector, supply chain disruptions will continue to limit next-generation console availability, while AAA software delays are expected as the long-term impacts of remote development manifest.
The mobile segment faces a pivotal transition due to Apple’s removal of the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), which is expected to disrupt traditional user acquisition and push publishers toward IP-based games and creative marketing. Despite these hurdles, 5G penetration is set to triple, with 16% of active smartphones becoming 5G-ready by year-end. Additionally, Chinese developers are increasingly exporting high-budget, immersive mobile experiences like Genshin Impact to Western markets.
In the esports and streaming sectors, mobile titles are beginning to outperform traditional PC giants in viewership. Organizations are diversifying into lifestyle brands and content-creator collectives to mitigate risk. Furthermore, the industry is placing a heightened focus on social responsibility, with major stakeholders collaborating to reduce toxicity and improve diversity and inclusion in response to growing consumer demand for representative content.
