Market (PC & Console)·Updated Apr 8, 2026 by Nintendo
Global games spending reached a record $199.4 billion in 2024, a 3.5% year-over-year increase, with projections stabilizing near $200 billion in 2025.
The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is projected to generate $7–8 billion in upside and reach 103 million units sold by 2030.
The delay of GTA VI is expected to reduce 2025 console spending by $2.7 billion, creating a strategic window for other publishers to capture holiday market share.
Publishers are mitigating slower growth by prioritizing high-margin, low-cost strategies such as remasters and remakes, alongside diversifying platforms and hybrid monetization models.
Emerging markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, combined with untapped demographic cohorts like 16–24-year-old females and players aged 55+, represent the primary opportunities for future expansion.
The gaming sector currently maintains an economic footprint nine times larger than the recorded music industry, despite remaining smaller than the broader video-related entertainment market.
Global games spending reached a record $199.4 billion in 2024, a 3.5% year-over-year increase, with projections stabilizing near $200 billion in 2025.
The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is projected to generate $7–8 billion in upside and reach 103 million units sold by 2030.
The delay of GTA VI is expected to reduce 2025 console spending by $2.7 billion, creating a strategic window for other publishers to capture holiday market share.
Publishers are mitigating slower growth by prioritizing high-margin, low-cost strategies such as remasters and remakes, alongside diversifying platforms and hybrid monetization models.
Emerging markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, combined with untapped demographic cohorts like 16–24-year-old females and players aged 55+, represent the primary opportunities for future expansion.
The gaming sector currently maintains an economic footprint nine times larger than the recorded music industry, despite remaining smaller than the broader video-related entertainment market.