Key insights
7 takeaways · ~3 min read- 01The gaming market has shifted from a supply-constrained environment to one of infinite choice, where success now requires deep engagement with specific player segments rather than broad, unfocused appeal.See it on page 5
- 02Focused games—those designed for a specific, identifiable audience—achieved an 83% commercial success rate, significantly outperforming the 50% success rate of unfocused titles.See it on page 12
- 03Player preferences are highly fragmented, with no single experience type (such as story-driven, sandbox, or multiplayer) capturing more than 26% of the market, and two-thirds of gamers preferring to stick to familiar franchises or existing habits.See it on page 6
- 04Nearly half of all gamers now purchase content directly from developer web stores at least once a year, and 75% of top-grossing mobile games currently operate their own direct-to-consumer storefronts, up from just 12% in 2019.See it on page 22
- 05Studios should adopt AI-driven, real-time personalization—specifically contextual bandit algorithms—to optimize individual player experiences, as the highest-spending segment of the market accounts for approximately 75% of total gaming revenue.See it on page 18
- 06Willingness to spend on gaming declines sharply with age, with 86% of teenagers making monthly purchases compared to only 27% of players in their 70s.See it on page 7
- 07Global gaming software revenue is projected to grow at a modest 3% annual rate, necessitating a strategic shift toward strengthening existing player relationships rather than relying on broad market expansion.See it on page 16
Summary
The leadership team of Bain & Company's Global Gaming Sector practice prepared this report, with special direction from Anders Christofferson, partner and Global Gaming Sector lead, and Brandon Rogers, Media practice manager. The authors would like to thank Danielle Schwenker, Aman Sharma, Gunjan Dawar, Shray Arora, Rohan Doomra, Shagun Jain, and Christoffer Karlsmose for their contributions to this work.
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