Newzoo Raises Global Games Market 2025 Forecast to $197 Billion

The global games market is forecast to reach $197 billion USD in 2025, up 7.5% year-on-year (YoY), exceeding earlier expectations, according to Newzoo. The revised outlook reflects stronger-than-expected performance across PC and mobile, based on a preemptive review of industry data from January through November.

Newzoo had previously projected global revenue of $188.8B in September 2025, citing higher software prices, major releases, and the launch of Nintendo’s Switch 2. The data firm now says improved results on PC and mobile were sufficient to lift the overall market outlook, while console growth is expected to lag behind the other segments.

Global Games Market 2025 Growth Driven by PC and Mobile

PC is forecast to grow 10.4% year-on-year (YoY) to $43B in 2025, marking the fastest expansion among major platforms. Newzoo attributed the increase to a strong slate of premium releases that outperformed last year’s titles, underscoring the continued ability of full-priced PC games to generate revenue despite rising competition for player attention.

Mobile games are projected to generate $108B in 2025, up 7.7% year-on-year (YoY), representing a second consecutive year of growth. Newzoo reported new hit titles and durable evergreen games continued to drive spending, signaling that the mobile market has stabilized following post-pandemic normalization.

Console revenue is expected to rise 4.2% year-on-year (YoY) to $45B, the lowest growth rate among platforms. While the Switch 2 launch and a busy release calendar supported sales, console growth trailed PC and mobile in overall momentum.

Newzoo’s revenue rankings for 2025 showed Battlefield 6 as the top-performing PC title, followed by Schedule 1 and Arc Raiders, with all top 10 PC games classified as premium releases and shooters remaining the leading genre. 

On console, EA Sports FC 26 (EAFC 26) and NBA 2K26 led revenue across PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, followed by Battlefield 6. Assassin’s Creed Shadows was the highest-ranked non-sports title at No. 6, with Ghost of Yōtei, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Borderlands 4 also placing in the Top 10.

Electronic Arts accounted for four console Top 10 titles, supported by its premium strategy and consistent sports release cycles. Newzoo also highlighted Pokémon Legends: Z-A as evidence that platform exclusivity continues to influence revenue, noting that roughly half of its sales came from Switch 2.

Beyond revenue, engagement data showed limited breakout hits from 2025 releases, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 standing out, reaching a lifetime MAU of 5.13M players and becoming Xbox’s top third-party release of the year following its Day One Game Pass launch.

Overall, Newzoo’s upward revision points to a more stable growth phase for the games industry in 2025, driven by premium content, sustained engagement, and resilient spending across PC and mobile platforms.