In its August 25, 2026 outlook, Newzoo forecast that the global games market would generate $213.9 billion in 2026, a 6.1% increase from 2025. The projection covers mobile, console and PC games. Newzoo identifies Grand Theft Auto VI’s planned November launch as an expected catalyst for console and full-game spending.
Mobile leads the 2026 platform forecast
Newzoo projects mobile will generate more revenue than console or PC in 2026. Its forecasts put all three platforms at a combined $213.9 billion.
| Platform | Forecast revenue for 2026 | Forecast year-over-year growth |
| Mobile | $121.1 billion | 6.8% |
| Console | $46.9 billion | 5.1% |
| PC | $45.9 billion | 5.3% |
Mobile is forecast to grow fastest, while console and PC are projected to expand at similar rates. The figures are global forecasts for 2026, not reported results.
Grand Theft Auto VI is an expected catalyst
Newzoo identifies the planned November 2026 launch of Grand Theft Auto VI as an anchor for the year, particularly for console spending. It expects spending on full games to rise 17.5%, the strongest growth among the business models in its console outlook.
That makes the release a significant part of Newzoo’s console forecast. The outlook also points to pricing, platform economics and monetization efficiency as forces shaping the wider PC and console market.
Player growth is slowing as retention matters more
Newzoo forecasts 3.7 billion players worldwide in 2026, up 4.4% year over year. It projects the player base could reach 4.07 billion by 2029, with growth averaging a 3.2% compound annual growth rate through that year.
Player penetration—the share of the online population represented by players—is forecast to edge from 61.5% to 62.0%. With that share rising modestly, Newzoo says future growth increasingly depends on retaining players and generating revenue from existing audiences.
The broader PC and console market had already turned upward in 2025: Newzoo reported 7% year-over-year revenue growth, its first notable growth since the pandemic. Its 2026 analysis describes monetization efficiency, pricing and platform economics as central to the next growth cycle.
