Market (PC & Console)·Updated Jun 25, 2026 by Newzoo
Console revenue is projected to grow at a 13% CAGR through 2027, significantly outpacing single-digit growth for PC, with major catalysts including the release of GTA VI and the Nintendo Switch 2.
Market dominance is heavily concentrated in established franchises, as new releases captured only 9% of total playtime in 2024, with annual franchises accounting for 67% of new-release hours on consoles.
Title diversity is shrinking, evidenced by a 27% decline in the average number of titles played per user on Steam in the US, with drops as high as 34% in markets like Russia and Brazil.
Player growth remains incremental, with annual increases of 3.5% for console and 2.3% for PC, driven primarily by legacy brands rather than breakthrough innovation.
Genre preferences are shifting away from Battle Royale toward Adventure and Role-Playing titles, signaling a market trend toward narrative-rich, long-form gameplay.
Long-term commercial success for new intellectual property requires prioritizing live-service strategies and continuous content updates to compete against the revenue dominance of established annual franchises.
Console revenue is projected to grow at a 13% CAGR through 2027, significantly outpacing single-digit growth for PC, with major catalysts including the release of GTA VI and the Nintendo Switch 2.
Market dominance is heavily concentrated in established franchises, as new releases captured only 9% of total playtime in 2024, with annual franchises accounting for 67% of new-release hours on consoles.
Title diversity is shrinking, evidenced by a 27% decline in the average number of titles played per user on Steam in the US, with drops as high as 34% in markets like Russia and Brazil.
Player growth remains incremental, with annual increases of 3.5% for console and 2.3% for PC, driven primarily by legacy brands rather than breakthrough innovation.
Genre preferences are shifting away from Battle Royale toward Adventure and Role-Playing titles, signaling a market trend toward narrative-rich, long-form gameplay.
Long-term commercial success for new intellectual property requires prioritizing live-service strategies and continuous content updates to compete against the revenue dominance of established annual franchises.