Global online gaming market size to grow to $333.2bn by 2030
The online gaming market is growing rapidly and is projected by MarkNtel Advisors to reach $333.2 billion by 2030, starting at $208.6 billion in 2024. That's about an 8.1% compound annual growth rate, and at this rate, gaming will soon overtake entire industries in revenue.
The reasons? Three key factors are driving the market growth: the development of cloud gaming, the high availability of mobile devices with sufficient performance, and ubiquitous internet connectivity, including 4G and 5G networks.
Who's playing and what are they playing?
Genres: Adventure games lead the way with about 33% of the market. This genre holds the bar due to a good story, real-time interaction and graphics with AR/VR elements. Especially popular are hybrids: adventures with a mix of horror, quests and RPGs.
Platforms: Mobile devices are out of competition, accounting for 43% of the global market. People all over the world, especially in developing countries, choose the smartphone as their gaming console. PCs and "boxes" (consoles) are following, but no longer dominate.
Gamers: In the arena are mostly casual and social gamers. They are followed by hardcore and pro gamers. More and more often they play alone and online with friends and strangers, balancing between relaxation and virtual PvP adrenaline.
Age: People between 18 and 34 years old show the most activity, but users 35-54 and even 55+ are quickly pulling up. The reason is affordable smartphones and simple "couple of minutes" games that suddenly turn into a couple of hours.
Research report on the global online gaming market: forecast (2025-2030). Illustration: MarkNtel Advisors
Where is all this happening?
Asia-Pacific leads the way in terms of revenue and players. It is where nearly 41% of all market revenues are concentrated. China, India, South Korea and Japan are the main drivers, and they can't get enough.
Who's at the top?
The major players include Tencent, Microsoft, Bandai Namco, EA, Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard and other major studios. They don't just make games - they set the industry's agenda for years to come.
In short, the online gaming industry is no longer an evening's entertainment, but a global business with billions at stake, hundreds of millions of players and still growing appetites.
Source: MarkNtel Advisors
