The Gaming Market in H1 2026

The global gaming industry experienced a period of contraction and strategic realignment during the first half of 2026. Mobile gaming revenue from in-app purchases fell by 2% to $40 billion, accompanied by an 11.9% decline in total downloads. While the puzzle genre emerged as a primary growth driver, traditional mid-core and RPG segments struggled to maintain historical performance levels. Simultaneously, the PC and console sectors faced stagnation, evidenced by a 5% revenue decline on Steam, as record-high competition across all platforms intensified the pressure on developers to secure player attention.

Market leadership remains concentrated, with Tencent retaining its top position among mobile publishers, though Century Games has significantly narrowed the revenue gap. The broader ecosystem is increasingly defined by aggressive ad monetization and high-volume creative strategies, with AppLovin and AdMob consolidating control over nearly 65% of mobile game ad revenue. This shift toward ad-supported models is particularly evident in the rise of hypercasual titles like Block Blast!, which outperformed traditional casual games during this period.

The industry is also undergoing a fundamental structural transition toward direct-to-consumer channels, a shift that complicates traditional performance tracking and obscures standard store-based metrics. While browser games remained largely flat, regional disparities persist, with notable growth in Asia and high average revenue per user observed in Gulf countries. Ultimately, the market is moving away from reliance on legacy storefronts, favoring platforms that prioritize organic traffic and diversified monetization strategies to navigate a landscape characterized by declining engagement and heightened competition.