Market (Overall)·Updated Jun 25, 2026 by Newzoo
The global games market is projected to reach $187.7 billion in 2023, reflecting a 2.6% year-on-year growth and a total player base of 3.38 billion.
Console gaming is the primary driver of 2023 market expansion, rebounding from previous development delays to help push total industry revenues toward a forecasted $212.4 billion by 2026.
Studios are increasingly adopting live-service monetization and generative AI to combat rising production costs and longer development cycles, despite ongoing legal and ethical uncertainties surrounding IP.
Regional growth is uneven, with strong Western console demand contrasting with slower performance in the Asia-Pacific region due to regulatory challenges in China.
The mobile gaming sector faces significant headwinds in user acquisition and monetization as evolving privacy policies negatively impact the performance of genres like RPGs.
The industry is experiencing a structural shift toward digital-first engagement, characterized by the decline of physical media and the rise of transmedia and influencer-led development strategies.
Player preferences are shifting away from the battle royale genre, while hardware diversification is accelerating through the emergence of new, complementary handheld devices.
The global games market is projected to reach $187.7 billion in 2023, reflecting a 2.6% year-on-year growth and a total player base of 3.38 billion.
Console gaming is the primary driver of 2023 market expansion, rebounding from previous development delays to help push total industry revenues toward a forecasted $212.4 billion by 2026.
Studios are increasingly adopting live-service monetization and generative AI to combat rising production costs and longer development cycles, despite ongoing legal and ethical uncertainties surrounding IP.
Regional growth is uneven, with strong Western console demand contrasting with slower performance in the Asia-Pacific region due to regulatory challenges in China.
The mobile gaming sector faces significant headwinds in user acquisition and monetization as evolving privacy policies negatively impact the performance of genres like RPGs.
The industry is experiencing a structural shift toward digital-first engagement, characterized by the decline of physical media and the rise of transmedia and influencer-led development strategies.
Player preferences are shifting away from the battle royale genre, while hardware diversification is accelerating through the emergence of new, complementary handheld devices.