Report · January 1, 2025

Global State of Game Publishing & Marketing 2025 Industry Report

Summary

The global game publishing market is entering a period of significant expansion, projected to grow from $117.4 billion in 2025 to $150.7 billion by 2030. This growth is underpinned by a fundamental shift toward cross-platform development and the democratization of publishing tools, which has enabled independent titles to achieve massive commercial success alongside traditional publishers. A 40% increase in multi-platform launches reflects a strategic move to maximize player engagement, while the rise of "publishing as a service" models allows smaller studios to access professional marketing and analytical scale without traditional gatekeeping. The industry has almost entirely transitioned to a digital-first model, with digital sales accounting for 95% of total revenue. Marketing strategies now prioritize influencer partnerships and transmedia collaborations over traditional retail channels, as 40% of enthusiasts now make purchasing decisions based on creator recommendations. This digital dominance is further reinforced by the rise of Live Service Gaming, which is expected to reach $18.7 billion by 2030. Publishers are increasingly leveraging real-time AI data analytics and community-building initiatives to sustain long-term monetization and player retention in this competitive landscape. Revenue streams are diversifying rapidly as the market moves away from one-time purchases toward recurring models. While the premium purchase market shows only marginal growth, subscription models are forecasted to surge at a 12.2% CAGR, reaching $21.6 billion by 2030. Additionally, the esports sector remains a high-growth area, driven by sponsorships and media rights. Ultimately, sustainable growth in the modern era requires a player-centric approach that balances technological innovation with community engagement, ensuring that cross-platform strategies and AI-driven monetization can effectively offset rising development costs.

From the report

9 – 10 September 2025 Novotel London West, London, UK THE GLOBAL STATE OF GAME PUBLISHING & MARKETING 2025 INDUSTRY REPORT Book Online Visit Site

Foreword Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures Introduction SECTION 1: Game Publishing Strategies Publisher-Developer Relationships Cross-Platform Publishing Self-Publishing SECTION 2: Marketing and User Acquisition Digital Channels and Decline of Traditional Retail Partnerships as Marketing Channels Influencer Marketing SECTION 3: Community Importance of Community in Gaming Community Safety SECTION 4: Data-Driven Success The Role of Data in Publishing and Marketing SECTION 5: Revenue Streams and Business Models Live Service Games Boxed Games/One-time Purchase Model Subscription Models Esports Hybrid Models 2 2 3 3 16 4 7 7 24 24 27 27 28 17 20 20 22 Foreword Ahead of the Game Publishing and Marketing Summit, we commissioned this report to deliver an in-depth overview of how, and why, game publishing and marketing experts are reimagining their core strategies. The aim of this report is to outline key topics that may enable studios, regardless of size, to make internal improvements to their business models and games that will keep them not just relevant, but essential. The findings reflect an increased interest, investment and dependence on user research, player and platform data and analytics, third-party services, personalised events and engagement, and multi- platform retail strategies. However, solely relying on access to research and digital tools will not help studios navigate ever-growing player expectations, modern technology, or regulations. This report is designed to highlight the latest opportunities and challenges in the gaming industry. We hope it serves as a practical resource for decision makers seeking to stay a step ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing and customer dependant industry. Jade Tierney #GPMSummit Director SECTION 6: Software and Services Publishing as a Service Design Studios Conclusion Bibliography 14 7 7 10 14 30 32 36 38 38 39 40 43 The Global State of Game Publishing and Marketing 2025 Industry Report Contents 2 Book Online Visit Site

The Global State of Game Publishing and Marketing 2025 Industry Report Tables Figures Table 1: Benefits of Developing Cross-Platform Games Table 2: Popular Cross-Platform Games Table 3: Top Cross-Platform Game Engines Table 4: Top-10 Self-published Games during 2019-2024 Table 5: Examples of Successful Collaborations in Games Table 6: The Role of Influencers in Shaping Gaming Trends Table 7: Benefits of Gaming Influencers in Marketing Over Traditional Advertising Table 8: Community Management Tools/ Platforms by Leading Companies (Selected) Table 9: Safety Rules and Regulations in Gaming Industry Table 10: Data Analytics: Leading Providers (Selected) Table 11: Comparisons of Leading Subscription Service Providers Table 12: Hybrid Models Used in Selected Games and Platforms Table 13: Design Studios: Leading Companies (Selected) 9 Figure 1: Global Game Publishing Market in US$ billions, 2025-2030 Figure 2: Share of Players & Time Spent on Playing Figure 3: Number of Self-Published Hit Games Between 2019 and 2023 Figure 4: Number of Games Released on Steam Worldwide from 2018 to 2023, by Developer Type Figure 5: Indie Developers Market in US$ Billions, 2025-2030 Figure 6: Physical vs. Digital Game Revenue Share in 2024 Figure 7: Physical vs. Digital Revenue of Major Video Game Publishers as of November 2024 Figure 8: Global Live Service Gaming Market in US$ billions, 2025-2030 Figure 9: Global Boxed Games Market in US$ billions, 2025-2030 Figure 10: Global Game Subscription Market in US$ billions, 2025-2030 Figure 11: PlayStation vs. Xbox: Installed Base and Revenue Share Figure 12: Esports Monetization Models Figure 13: Global Esports Market in US$ billions, 2025-2030 Figure 14: Prize Money for Leading eSports Games Worldwide in US$ millions Figure 15: Video Streaming Quarterly Hours Watched, 2020-2024 Figure 16: Revenue Streams for Game Publishing Industry 4 8 12 13 13 15 27 29 30 33 33 34 36 10 12 21 23 26 15 32 31 17 31 11 18 19 37 39 3 Book Online Visit Site

The Global State of Game Publishing and Marketing 2025 Industry Report The global game publishing market is expected to increase from US$117.4 billion in 2025 to US$150.5 billion by 2030, at a modest CAGR of 5.1%. The gaming industry which has enjoyed exponential growth over the last two decades, especially during the pandemic, now finds itself at a crossroads. The return of gamers to schools and offices in the post-pandemic era, rising interest rates, high costs, market saturation, and the failure of a few high- profile games, are some of the factors responsible for this tepid growth forecast. As game development and publishing budgets rise along with breakeven thresholds, the publishers’ dependency on each game increases resulting in a lesser margin for errors (game failures). Historically, there has been a clear division of roles between video game developers and publishers, with the former taking care of the creative and technical aspects of building a game. In contrast, publishers handle the financing, marketing, distribution, and at times, the legal aspects. This model has given a few large publishers significant power, allowing them to control distribution channels, marketing, and monetisation strategies. These publishers often act as gatekeepers, determining which games reach the market and at what scale. Even though this has resulted in the creation and launch of many iconic titles, it has allowed larger studios to corner a significant share of the market, often at the cost of smaller indie developers. However, the industry’s evolution characterised by digital distribution channels, self-publishing platforms, changing consumer expectations, and alternative business models, has rapidly democratised the game development and publishing landscape, allowing indie developers to reach a global audience. Introduction FIGURE 1 Global Game Publishing Market in US$ billions, 2025-2030 Source: AgileIntel 2025 117.4 2026 123.5 2027 129.8 2028 136.4 2029 143.4 2030 150.7 4 Book Online Visit Site

The Global State of Game Publishing and Marketing 2025 Industry Report The rise of self-publishing has levelled the playing field Self-publishing platforms such as Steam, itch.io, Epic Games Store, Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), and Roblox, have lowered the entry barriers for indie game developers who can independently develop and publish their games without relying on large publishers. What makes this relatively novel concept particularly interesting, is that some of the self- published games by indie developers have already witnessed resounding success, often surpassing the revenues of large-scale publications. In early 2024, Palworld, developed and published by Pocketpair, became the biggest third-party game launch ever on Xbox Game Pass, dominated the Steam charts, and gained an almost cult-like following in the monster taming category, not witnessed since Pokémon Go. Till January 2024, the game had garnered sales of over US$440 million, which is exceptional considering that it wasn’t backed by a large publisher and was created by Takuro Mizobe, a self-taught artist with no prior industry experience. Other notable successes are Baldur’s Gate 3, Phasmophobia, Squad, Ready or Not, and Lethal Company. The democratisation of game publishing is among the most notable trends in the gaming industry. Platforms such as Steam, itch.io, Epic Games Store, Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), and Roblox, have lowered the entry barriers for indie game developers who can independently develop and publish their games without relying on large publishers. 5 Book Online Visit Site

The Global State of Game Publishing and Marketing 2025 Industry Report Marketing and PR companies branching out into publishing Historically, the multi-faceted expertise of publishers made it difficult for developers to bypass them and self-publish their games. However, the growing stature of PR and marketing agencies dedicated to the gaming industry and their move into publishing, is proving to be a game changer for indie developers. A good example is UK-based Neonhive which branched out into game publishing after being a solely PR and marketing agency for many years. By leveraging its experience and relationships with the press, influencers, events, and bringing over 130 titles to market, Neonhive is gradually building a supportive publishing ecosystem for indie developers. Another example is the Canadian boutique agency Popagenda which has moved on from handling PR for games such as Cuphead, Grindstone, Landfall, and Ooblets, to functions such as marketing strategy, release management, social media handling, and trailer editing. What is particularly noteworthy here is release management, which includes coordinating with quality assurance teams and porting studios to ship on console and other platforms, areas that have historically been the unique selling points of large publishers. The growth of user-generated content (UGC) is challenging traditional publishing models User-generated content (UGC) is gradually transforming the game publishing landscape. Games such as Minecraft and Fortnite, and platforms such as Roblox have already shown the positive impact that UGC can have on game engagement, longevity, and revenue diversification opportunities. Technologies such as voxels and signed distance fields have made content creation more intuitive and scalable, letting users remix and expand upon existing creations. This player-creator dynamic is challenging conventional publishing models by pushing modern-day publishers to integrate UGC in their marketing and monetisation strategies. A good example is Grand Theft Auto (GTA) VI which is expected to be launched in September 2025. The game is expected to build on GTA V’s thriving UGC scene. In fact, its infrastructure is powered by FiveM, a third-party modding framework capable of supporting immersive role-playing servers where over 200,000 players engage daily. Another example is The Sims 5 made by Electronic Arts (EA). Even though the game was shelved towards the end of 2024, its makers had already hired a head of monetisation and marketplace to manage in-game content pricing and UGC, both free and paid. 6 Book Online Visit Site

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