Global Games Market Report 2025

Here’s a cool report by Newzoo!

A $189 billion market in 2025  

The global games market will generate $188.8 billion in 2025, a +3.4% increase year-on-year. While growth has slowed since the pandemic surge, the industry is showing resilience and adaptability.  

• Mobile: $103.0 billion (+2.9%). Still the biggest slice of the pie (55%), but growth is limited due to a saturated Eastern Asian market. However, the willingness to spend on mobile gaming is growing in Western regions.   
• Console: $45.9 billion (+5.5%). This year’s fastest-growing platform was boosted by the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, higher software prices, and a stronger release calendar.  
• PC: $39.9 billion (+2.5%). Stable growth driven by momentum in China and Japan, despite declining revenues from older live-service hits in the West.  

Together, PC and console will account for $85.8 billion (45% of the total market), underlining the continued strength of premium platforms.  

Regionally, Asia-Pacific remains the engine at $87.6B (46% share), though its growth is slowing. Latin America (+6.4% YoY) and the Middle East & Africa (+7.5% YoY) grow faster but are smaller in absolute terms.  

In 2025, just two markets, China ($49.8B) and the US ($49.6B), will account for half of all consumer games spending.  

3.6 billion players, but growth is flattening  

The global player base will hit 3.58 billion in 2025 (+4.4% YoY), representing over 60% of the world’s online population. That sounds like explosive reach, but the share of internet users who play is flattening, a clear marker of the market’s maturity.  

• Mobile dominates with 3.0 billion players (83%).  
• PC has 936 million players (26%), led by Steam’s growth in Asia.  
• Console stands at 645 million (18%), stable but mature, and supported by multi-device usage of the younger generations of gamers.  

Asia-Pacific continues to dominate in player numbers, with 1.9 billion players and 53% of the global total. Meanwhile, the Middle East and Africa are the fastest-growing regions (+6.8% YoY), showing how mobile-first markets are reshaping the global audience.   

The growth story is shifting from “more players” to “deeper engagement.” Gen Alpha is entering the mix in force, playing across multiple devices, growing up on Roblox and mobile-first ecosystems, while Baby Boomers are fading out. Retention, multi-device strategies, and long-tail monetization will define the next chapter.  

Forecast to 2028: Steady growth, shifting dynamics  

The global games market will climb to $206.5 billion in 2028, reflecting a +3.0% CAGR. Players will expand to nearly four billion worldwide.  

• Console is the growth story (+4.7% CAGR 2025-2028), with GTA VI in 2026 and Gen-10 consoles arriving in 2027.  
• PC grows steadily (+3.3% CAGR 2025-2028), buoyed by Asia-Pacific adoption and premium releases.  
• Mobile keeps expanding (+2.2% CAGR 2025-2028), but less explosively than before, following general economic growth, and more spending outside Apple’s and Google’s stores.  

The strongest momentum through 2028 will come from console and PC, narrowing the gap with mobile. The next few years will be defined less by market size and more by how publishers capture lifetime value. Early Access timing, post-launch support, and the rise of UGC ecosystems like Roblox are no longer tactical choices — they’re core strategies.  

On the player side, the industry is on track to reach 3.9 billion gamers by 2028 (+3.3% CAGR 2025-2028). Mobile will remain the biggest and fastest-growing, but PC will surpass one billion players for the first time, while console players will steadily climb to 688 million.