Player Demographics reports and market data
Documents
European Key Facts 2023: Video Games Industry
The European video games industry is a significant cultural and economic driver, characterized by steady growth and a commitment to responsible gameplay.
- The European video games industry generated €25.7 billion in revenue in 2023, representing a 5% year-on-year growth.
- The sector employs 115,000 people across Europe, with 90,000 of those roles based within the EU.
- Video games reach 53% of the European population aged 6–64, with an average player age of 31.4 years, 75% adult representation, and 43.5% female participation.
Brazilian Gaming Industry Report 2023
The Brazilian gaming industry represents a rapidly maturing ecosystem that defied global trends in 2022, growing by 3% to reach 103 million players while the international market experienced its first contraction.
- Brazil’s gaming market grew 3% in 2022 to 103 million players, even as the global market contracted, yet local studios capture only 10% of domestic consumption.
- The number of active gaming studios in Brazil reached 1,042 in 2023, representing a 177% increase over the previous five years.
- The industry is increasingly export-oriented, with 65% of studios operating abroad generating more than half of their revenue from international markets.
Identifying Indie: A Study of Who Plays What and Why
This study, conducted by Humble Games in partnership with an independent research group, examines the behaviors, motivations, and preferences of modern indie game players.
- Indie gamers are not a niche segment; they are highly active consumers who purchase more AAA and double-A titles than traditional gamers who buy zero indie games.
- The study, which surveyed 4,800 respondents aged 18 to 45 across six countries, identifies that indie players prioritize innovation, unique mechanics, and creative expression over the high-fidelity graphics favored by traditional gamers.
- Indie players prefer single-player modes, stylized art, nonlinear storytelling, and high-quality soundtracks, while de-emphasizing the need for endless content in favor of distinct, high-quality experiences.
I Videogiochi in Italia nel 2022: Mercato, Consumatori e Industria
The Italian video game market maintained significant resilience throughout 2022, generating a total turnover of €2.2 billion.
- The Italian video game market generated €2.2 billion in 2022, marking a stable performance with only a 1.2% decline from the previous year.
- Domestic production revenue grew by 30%, reaching an estimated €130 to €150 million as the industry pivots toward international markets.
- Mobile gaming remains the dominant platform in Italy, accounting for 69.7% of the total market.
Define Your Audience Now, Not Later
Strategic success in the modern gaming landscape requires a departure from speculative development toward a disciplined, audience-first methodology.
- The annual release of over 11,000 titles on Steam renders the traditional strategy of building games in isolation and relying on organic discovery commercially unviable.
- Developers must proactively align internal design goals and core keywords with established player expectations and platform tags to ensure market viability.
- Strategic development requires integrating three foundational pillars: comprehensive design documentation, rigorous market research, and a consistent brand voice.
Global Games Market Report 2024
The Global Games Market Report 2024 projects a modest 2.1% year-over-year growth, bringing worldwide revenues to $187.7 billion in 2024 and reaching $213.3 billion by 2027 at a 3.1% compound annual growth rate.
- The global games market is projected to reach $187.7 billion in 2024, growing at a 3.1% CAGR to hit $213.3 billion by 2027.
- PC gaming is the leading segment with $43.2 billion in 2024 revenue, while console market share is expected to rise to 30% due to the prevalence of cross-platform releases.
- Total player count is forecast to reach 3.42 billion, a 4.5% year-over-year increase primarily driven by growth in PC adoption.
Africa Games Industry Report 2024
The Africa Games Industry Report 2024 presents a data-driven assessment of the continent’s gaming ecosystem, targeting investors, policymakers, developers and the broader public.
- The Sub-Saharan gamer base grew from 77 million in 2015 to 186 million in 2021, with mobile gaming driving 95% of the player base and nearly 90% of the region's $778.6 million revenue in 2022.
- Free-to-play with in-app purchases is the dominant revenue model, with approximately one-third of players currently making in-app purchases.
- Infrastructure remains the primary barrier to growth, with 71% of developers citing unreliable power and 57% citing high internet costs as significant impediments.
Global Games Market Report
The global games market is entering a period of stabilization and renewed growth, with 2023 revenues projected to reach $184.0 billion.
- The global games market is projected to reach $184.0 billion in 2023, with a forecast to grow to $205.4 billion by 2026 supported by a 3.31 billion-person player base.
- Mobile gaming remains the largest revenue segment at $89.7 billion, though it is currently experiencing a 1.4% decline due to privacy-related challenges in user acquisition and monetization.
- PC and console gaming are the primary industry growth engines for 2023, driven by improved hardware supply and a strong pipeline of high-profile software releases.
Xsolla Report: State of Play – Winter 2024 Edition
The global gaming industry is currently navigating a period of stabilization following a massive 26% growth surge between 2019 and 2021.
- The global gaming industry is projected to grow from $106.8 billion in 2023 to $205.7 billion by 2026, supported by a total player base of 3.79 billion people.
- Mobile gaming remains the industry's primary revenue driver, accounting for nearly 50% of total consumer spending and reaching a projected $111.4 billion in 2024.
- Strategic investment value saw a massive 577% surge in mid-2023 to reach $7 billion in a single quarter, despite an overall cooling in M&A activity and a volatile investment climate.
Longitudinal Survey Report on Gaming Disorder: Japan
The study investigates how household rules governing video-game use influence weekly play time and the emergence of gaming disorder among Japanese elementary and middle-school students.
- Increased weekly gaming hours serve as a significant predictor for higher gaming disorder scores, with standardized coefficients of .12 for elementary students and .11 for middle-school students.
- Gaming hours and daily-life problems, such as disruptions to sleep and meals, create a negative feedback loop where each factor mutually reinforces the other.
- Gaming disorder symptoms do not appear to influence or increase future weekly play time, suggesting that excessive play is the primary driver of disorder rather than a consequence of it.
Manifiesto de Video Games Europe 2024-2029
The European video-game sector seeks recognition as a distinct blend of technology and creative culture and urges policymakers to embed this identity in the EU’s 2024-2029 strategic framework.
- The European video game sector generated €24 billion in revenue between 2019 and 2024, representing a 16% growth rate and supporting 110,000 highly-skilled jobs.
- The industry faces a significant regulatory burden, having been subjected to 850 new obligations and over 5,000 pages of legislation between 2017 and 2022.
- Current EU financing tools are insufficient to compete with global hubs like Canada and the UK, prompting calls for a dedicated funding framework and improved tax incentives.
Video Games Europe Manifesto 2024-2029
Europe’s video-game sector has expanded by 16% between 2019 and 2024, now delivering €24 billion in revenue and employing roughly 110 000 highly-skilled workers.
- The European video game sector grew by 16% between 2019 and 2024, reaching €24 billion in annual revenue and employing approximately 110,000 highly-skilled workers.
- Between 2017 and 2022, the industry faced a significant regulatory burden consisting of 850 new EU obligations spanning over 5,000 pages of rules.
- The PEGI age-rating system has successfully classified 40,000 titles across 40 countries, contributing to a 50% reduction in non-compliance penalties and a 20% decrease in energy-consumption violations.