The global games market will make a record $213.9 billion in 2026, analyst firm Newzoo predicts, with GTA 6 helping consoles beat PC throughout the year.
According to the latest numbers from Newzoo, the video games industry is expected to generate nearly $214 billion in revenue throughout this year. That's an all-time record high for gaming, representing a +6.1% year-over-year increase from the $201 billion earned in 2025.
Popular Now: ASUS cancels buyer's 20th Anniversary Bundle pre-order despite paying $10,350 already, wants even more moneyRockstar's GTA 6 will do the heavy lifting for the console sector, which is expected to make $46.9 billion, representing 22% of total spending. PC will be close behind at $45.9 billion, driven primarily by microtransactions. Newzoo also believes GTA 6 will help boost full game sales, which makes sense, considering the game should break entertainment records in terms of unit purchases and launch earnings.
"Console is forecast to grow 5.1% on multi-game subscriptions, higher game and service prices, and the November launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, which is expected to lift full-game spending 17.5%, the strongest growth of any business model," the firm said in its free report.
Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two Interactive has revealed figures for GTA 6 pre-orders, and both are unlikely to do so, but company CEO Strauss Zelnick did say that the volume is "astonishing and unprecedented."
Also nestled in the report is an interesting mention that publishers and developers will have to start focusing more on monetization and retention once the global playerbase starts to fill out:
"As penetration and conversion flatten, future market growth will depend increasingly on retaining and monetizing existing audiences rather than adding new players."
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