Video Gaming Report 2025: How Platforms Are Colliding and Why This Will Spark the Next Era of Growth

The industry is moving from console-centric competition to a multiplatform model.

Success is increasingly dictated by community engagement, user-generated content, and discoverability. This shift is underpinned by generative AI, cloud gaming, and diversified distribution channels.

Cloud gaming is projected to reach $18.3 billion in revenue by 2030.

Cloud gaming is acting as a primary catalyst for industry growth. It serves as a primary driver as the market moves toward hardware-agnostic ecosystems.

Developers are adopting direct-to-consumer strategies to address price-conscious players.

These strategies include tiered pricing models, windowing, and the integration of in-game advertising. They are designed to capture value from an increasingly price-conscious global player base.

Low-quality, AI-generated content poses a significant risk to profitability.

Market saturation caused by an influx of low-quality, AI-generated content is a significant challenge. Addressing this requires a focus on sustainable creator economies.

Developer-owned webstores are challenging the dominance of incumbent app stores.

These new channels offer the potential for improved margins and deeper player relationships. Their long-term viability depends on addressing consumer concerns regarding security and platform convenience.

Webstore rise. The rise of developer-owned webstores and alternative distribution platforms is challenging the dominance of incumbent app stores.

Future growth depends on balancing technological integration with consumer demands.

Stakeholders must balance technological innovation with the necessity of fostering sustainable creator economies. Discoverability remains the central pillar of the modern gaming experience.

Growth balance. Future industry growth depends on balancing technological integration with consumer demands for platform security and convenience.

More than 40% of gamers are consuming more user-generated content.

Community engagement and discoverability are becoming key drivers of the experience.

UGC consumption. More than 40% of gamers are consuming more user-generated content than they did a year ago.