Newzoo: PC and Console Market in 2026

The global PC and console gaming market experienced a resurgence in 2025, generating $88.3 billion in total revenue. This growth trajectory suggests a structural shift in platform dominance, with PC revenue projected to surpass console earnings by 2028. While the industry is currently navigating a slight contraction in total playtime—which fell by 1% during the 2025 calendar year—the underlying engagement patterns are evolving. Players are increasingly gravitating toward expansive sandbox environments, signaling a departure from the previously dominant Battle Royale and annualized sports game models.

Market dynamics reveal a distinct preference for buy-to-play titles and non-annualized franchises, reflecting a broader trend toward diversified gaming experiences. Although playtime is becoming less concentrated across major titles, revenue remains heavily anchored by premium software priced above $50. This reliance on high-cost titles is particularly pronounced within the console ecosystem, whereas the PC market demonstrates a more equitable distribution of revenue across various price tiers. These findings highlight a maturing industry where consumer spending habits are decoupling from traditional release cycles.

The current landscape reflects a transition period for the global gaming sector, characterized by shifting engagement metrics and evolving monetization strategies. As sandbox titles capture a larger share of player attention, developers and publishers are forced to reconsider the viability of established genre conventions. The sustained growth in revenue despite stagnant playtime suggests that the industry is successfully extracting higher value from its core audience, setting the stage for a competitive landscape where PC platforms increasingly challenge the historical revenue leadership of consoles.