S&P Global Market Intelligence

The global gaming market is projected to reach $229.1 billion by 2030, reflecting a modest average annual growth rate of 2.3% from its 2025 valuation of $204.4 billion. This forecast, prepared by the Kagan team at S&P Global Market Intelligence, focuses exclusively on game content revenue and intentionally excludes hardware sales and advertising. The analysis adopts a conservative outlook compared to other industry projections, citing macroeconomic headwinds such as inflation, rising development costs, longer production cycles, and increasingly selective consumer behavior as primary factors tempering growth.

The report identifies the monetization of existing player bases through live-service projects, premium content, and in-game purchases as the primary driver for future revenue. Geographically, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to maintain its position as the largest gaming market, supported by a robust mobile user base and strong PC infrastructure. Among platforms, PC is anticipated to be the fastest-growing traditional segment, rising to $49.23 billion by 2030, while cloud gaming is projected to experience the highest overall growth rate at 9.7% annually, reaching $9.71 billion.

While console gaming is expected to receive a boost from major upcoming releases, the outlook for specific hardware lines remains mixed, with analysts noting a significant decline in Xbox revenue. The findings suggest a structural shift where PC gaming may increasingly capture market share from traditional console hardware. By focusing on content-driven revenue, the analysis highlights a transition toward long-term engagement strategies rather than reliance on hardware-centric growth cycles.