The Midia Research Cabinet recently launched its report on world game forecasts from 2025 to 2031, in which it predicts certain trends in the game industry. And in this report, the forecasts provide that the high growth day of the ‘Game industry may well be behind. More specifically, he predicts that two -digit growth is unlikely to continue and that publishers should temper their expectations if they do not wish to face disappointment by their lack of earnings – and that “Survive to ’25“Is not enough.
The report predicts software income of 203.2 billion dollars in 2025 and 237.0 billion dollars in 2031 – which will put the game online in accordance with the planned inflation rate of the 4% International Monetary Fund and will essentially make a stable growth for the year. It also provides that the launch of the Switch 2 will increase material income by 8.4% to $ 20.6 billion in 2025, after a sharp drop of 2024; And that even if the world number of players will increase, the average turnover per remunerated user will drop thanks to increasing figures on emerging markets.
Most of the report is against the predictions sunny with a return to industry to the growth of the pandemic era – the two -digit growth era is “finished”, said Without hesitation. Although he recognizes that the game will get GTA VI and Switch 2 juice, he notes that it will not necessarily be a good thing for anyone in addition to the companies that create these products.
Rhys Elliott, Midia games analyst, said in a statement: “Do not be mistaken: GTA and Switch 2 – and other premium versions – will help add more income for the market (+ 6.4% in annual shift for the console in 2025). But Nintendo and Take-Two will be the big winners here. GTA 6 will draw all the attention, having a negative impact on the games of other developers. “”
Live service games and other dead ends
Midia’s report also notes that growth vectors such as live service games and subscription services will not be the money manufacturers that many believed, and this is already reflected in the first case. Several live games have been closed or which will soon be closed due to a lack of interest from users and income that will return to businesses. The game subscriptions, such as PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass, could also see a significant slowdown in growth, because user attention is so divided. The report notes: “The live gold rush has already had its winners.”
Elliott said in a follow -up interview with Gamesbeat: “Many leaders thought – and have been led to believe by certain consulting companies and the main game analysis companies – this two -digit growth would continue [after the pandemic]Risky projects and strategies with green lighting. Many of the resulting movements do not ultimately have – or will not -. And some were canceled after years of development – and a week after the launch in the case of Concord. The game market has reached its maturity phase, and it has been so for some time. »»
In short, there is simply not enough attention for players to go around for all these projects, which means that game publishers will have to find other ways to maintain themselves. The Switch 2, which could potentially take charge of any type of mobile game at the PC (if rumors about the new mouse type feature are true), is likely to offer publishers a means of extending the life of life their rear catalogs. Developers can also target poorly served markets.
And if there is an advantage for the players, it is that the game industry is likely to leave its obsession for live titles and to start creating the premium solo titles that players will buy and play, as in testifies to the success of the success of the games as Black Myth Wukong and Baldur’s Gate 3. To quote Elliott: “My recommendation: less waste, less research of trend, more innovation and more segmentation backed by data. The market cannot continue to respond to the same players and expect the pie to develop. »»
