Market Forecast

CyberAgent’s performance during the third quarter of fiscal year 2020 remained resilient despite the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consolidated sales reached 112.8 billion yen, a marginal year-over-year decrease of 0.7%, while operating profit stood at 8.2 billion yen. By the end of this period, the company had already achieved between 89% and 102% of its full-year operating profit forecasts. This stability was largely driven by the Internet Advertisement segment, which successfully offset declining demand in certain sectors by pivoting toward advertisers benefiting from stay-at-home trends, and the Game business, which generated 36.7 billion yen in quarterly revenue following major title anniversaries.

The media segment, centered on the streaming platform ABEMA, demonstrated significant growth with a 19.2% year-over-year increase in sales to 13.3 billion yen. This expansion was supported by a record 56 million downloads and a surge in the WINTICKET gambling transaction business, which doubled its volume to 7.2 billion yen. Strategic priorities for this segment include reaching one million ABEMA Premium subscribers by late 2020 and leveraging new virtual production technologies, such as Pay-Per-View systems, to enhance monetization.

Looking forward, the corporate strategy focuses on establishing ABEMA as a long-term financial pillar while maintaining market share in the advertising sector through AI-driven efficiency. In the gaming division, the emphasis remains on the dual approach of developing new intellectual properties and extending the lifecycle of existing titles through robust operational management. These efforts are underpinned by a broader commitment to ESG initiatives and information security, ensuring sustainable value creation across the company’s diverse digital portfolio.

This update provides an analysis of the Dutch video game industry’s performance during 2020, specifically examining the operational and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings are based on a survey of over 100 industry professionals conducted in late 2020, supplemented by desk research and database updates. The report tracks industry growth, employment trends, and the shift in business dynamics necessitated by global lockdowns.

The Dutch games sector demonstrated resilience, growing from 575 companies in 2018 to 615 by the end of 2020, with total employment reaching approximately 4,000 jobs. While the industry largely transitioned to remote work with minimal impact on output quality, the pandemic created a divide between business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) entities. B2C entertainment companies generally benefited from increased consumer demand for home-based entertainment. Conversely, B2B and applied game developers faced significant challenges in the spring of 2020 as client projects were paused or canceled, though some firms in the healthcare sector identified new opportunities.

Operational challenges were primarily centered on human resources and networking. While productivity remained stable for most, employee engagement declined due to the loss of informal office culture, and nearly half of respondents reported increased stress levels. The absence of physical industry events hindered the establishment of new business relationships, with one-third of respondents unable to pursue new business opportunities effectively. Despite these hurdles, the industry maintained its growth trajectory, supported by government labor cost subsidies that assisted approximately 85 companies during the initial lockdown phases. Overall, the sector proved adaptable, leveraging digital infrastructure to sustain operations while navigating a volatile market environment.

The 2020 Global Games Market Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the video game industry during a landmark year defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to next-generation consoles. The central thesis posits that gaming has evolved beyond simple entertainment to become a primary social network and a precursor to the "metaverse," with interactive virtual spaces increasingly replacing traditional social media for younger generations.

Key findings indicate that the global games market was projected to generate $159.3 billion in 2020, representing a 9.3% year-on-year increase. Mobile gaming remained the largest segment, accounting for $77.2 billion (48% of the market), driven by low barriers to entry and the rise of hypercasual titles. Console and PC segments followed with $45.2 billion and $36.9 billion respectively. Geographically, the Asia-Pacific region dominated the landscape, generating $78.4 billion—nearly half of all global revenues—while the Middle East and Africa emerged as the fastest-growing region. By the end of 2020, the global player base was expected to reach 2.7 billion, with forecasts suggesting the market would surpass $200 billion and 3 billion players by 2023.

The scope of the analysis covers 30 key markets representing over 90% of global revenues, with data segmented by region (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East/Africa) and platform. Methodology relies on a top-down predictive model integrating macroeconomic data, financial reports from over 100 public companies, and primary consumer research involving 62,500 respondents.

The report concludes that while lockdown measures provided a short-term surge in engagement and revenue, the industry faces long-term shifts toward platform-agnostic cloud gaming and subscription models. Additionally, it highlights the successful globalization of Chinese gaming firms, which pivoted to international markets following domestic regulatory freezes, now leading the industry in mobile development and cross-border investment.

Three ways to bring Finland to the forefront of the digital shift............. 3 More than half of Finns and nearly a third of the global population 4 play games actively............................................................................... The Finnish game industry 5 is the success story of the 21st century.....

Mobile esports is positioned to become the primary catalyst for growth in the digital games industry over the next five years, leveraging a global player base of 2.53 billion that already surpasses the combined reach of PC and console gaming. In 2018, mobile esports titles generated $15.32 billion in revenue, representing over a quarter of the total mobile market. This expansion is driven by high smartphone penetration and a fundamental shift from high-profile spectator events toward a pervasive ecosystem of regional and online-only competitions. By lowering barriers to entry, the sector has successfully attracted a more diverse and gender-balanced audience than traditional competitive gaming platforms.

The industry is currently transitioning from a publisher-funded marketing tool into a scalable mass-market powerhouse. While professional PC esports historically dominated revenue, mobile esports is rapidly closing the gap, fueled by sophisticated monetization strategies including media rights, sponsorships, and microtransaction-based models like season passes. Asia serves as the epicenter of this evolution, with China and Southeast Asia hosting the most concentrated markets for competitive mobile titles. Significant investments from traditional sports franchises and the expansion of media rights into mainstream cable television further signal the professionalization and maturation of the sector.

Technological advancements in 5G and cloud gaming are disrupting the historical dominance of PC titles by delivering high-quality competitive experiences on accessible hardware. This technological shift, combined with strong government support in Asian markets, has led to explosive growth, exemplified by a 44.5% revenue increase in top Belt and Road markets during the first half of 2019. As industry leaders establish franchised leagues and record-breaking prize pools, the mobile esports model is proving more sustainable and participatory than its predecessors. Ultimately, the sector’s massive reach and superior monetization capabilities ensure its trajectory to overtake PC esports as the dominant global competitive gaming format.

Games Workshop’s 2015 fiscal year was defined by a major leadership transition and significant structural reorganization aimed at stabilizing the business for long-term growth. Under the new leadership of CEO Kevin Rountree, the company reported a profit before taxation of £16.6 million on revenues of £119.1 million. While total revenue saw a 3.5% decline from the previous year—attributed to currency headwinds and internal restructuring—net profit attributable to owners rose significantly from £8.0 million to £12.3 million. This recovery supported a substantial dividend payout of 52 pence per share, totaling £16.6 million, reflecting a core strategic commitment to returning surplus capital to shareholders.

The company’s strategic focus shifted toward global expansion and operational efficiency, particularly through the rebranding of retail outlets to "Warhammer" and the implementation of a "one-man" store model to improve margins. Geographically, North America emerged as a key growth driver, contrasting with revenue declines in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. A pivotal product milestone was the relaunch of the core fantasy line as Warhammer: Age of Sigmar. Simultaneously, the company expanded its high-margin licensing portfolio, which included 50 interactive products, and invested £6.4 million in a new global ERP system to modernize its digital and logistical infrastructure.

Operating with a workforce of 1,654 employees, the Group maintained a debt-free balance sheet and a strong cash position of £12.6 million. Governance and remuneration policies were updated to align with the new leadership, including a revised profit-sharing trigger based on sales revenue growth rather than operating profit. Despite some non-compliance issues regarding the UK Corporate Governance Code during the leadership handover, the company successfully formalized a global health and safety strategy and introduced a new all-employee Sharesave Plan. These initiatives underscore a transition toward a more standardized, scalable international business model focused on cash generation and disciplined capital allocation.

The study set out to explore how Spanish video‑game players envision the medium’s evolution, focusing on genre development, social dimensions, technological advances, and the role of online and mobile gaming. It surveyed internet users aged 14‑44 who play at least once a month, using a quota‑based online questionnaire administered to a nationally representative sample of 332 respondents, with a 95 % confidence level and a 5.2 % margin of error. The sample reflects the regional distribution of Spain and is balanced by gender and three age brackets.

Findings show that gaming is as routine as sport or social outings, with 56 % of participants engaging in video games several times a week. Men play more frequently than women (65 % versus 42 % regular play). A striking 90 % anticipate that by 2020 gaming will be ubiquitous across all ages, including grandparents, and 78 % expect it to become highly social, with solitary play becoming rare. Nearly nine out of ten respondents believe most games will be rendered in 3D and that conventional controllers will be replaced by motion‑detecting devices, while older players (35‑44) express the strongest confidence in full‑immersion virtual reality.

The most appealing VR scenarios involve traveling to fantastical locations and learning new skills, interests that are especially pronounced among women, whereas men favor sports‑oriented experiences. Respondents also foresee extensive non‑gaming uses for VR, such as surgical simulation, virtual real‑estate tours, e‑commerce, and education from primary to university levels. Regarding online play, 72 % predict increased activity, with men leaning toward competitive environments and women toward social interaction. Parallel trends include a rise in home‑based cinema, social‑media use, and overall digital entertainment.

The study commissioned by ADESE explores how video games are expected to evolve, focusing on technological, social and market dynamics and projecting scenarios up to 2025. It seeks to understand current player behaviours, perceived barriers to online play, and the aspirations of different user segments for future gaming experiences.

Research combined three perspectives—regular gamers, industry experts and parents—through focus groups organized by Buzz Research. Participants were grouped by age (16‑18, 19‑23 and 25‑35) and by playing profile, distinguishing hardcore players, casual players and an emerging “Cani” segment that blends moderate skill with regular play. Findings reveal that hardcore gamers dominate online activity but still rely heavily on offline play, while casual players show limited interest in online modes due to slow connections, language obstacles, trust issues and unfamiliar payment models. Parents mirror casual attitudes, valuing online interaction mainly for its social companionship.

Projected developments for the medium term (around 2015) include cloud‑based distribution, motion‑sensing controls, high‑definition 3D graphics and AI‑driven personalization, with an emphasis on cross‑device compatibility. Long‑term visions (2020‑2025) anticipate immersive virtual‑reality environments, multisensory holographic interfaces, voice‑controlled menus and highly customizable controllers, suggesting a shift toward fully online ecosystems and digital‑only delivery. Experts anticipate that 100 % of future games will be online, driven by anti‑piracy incentives, streamlined matchmaking, enhanced security and ubiquitous broadband.

Beyond entertainment, respondents agree that gaming technology will expand into education, senior‑care, professional training and therapeutic applications, leveraging interactive simulations for language learning, psychomotor skill development, conflict resolution and cognitive rehabilitation. The overall outlook combines cautious optimism about technological breakthroughs with recognition of current infrastructural and cultural hurdles that must be addressed for widespread adoption.