Video game content market can be categorized by device (Console, PC, Mobile), region (North America, APAC, China, Europe, LATAM, MEA), content model (Live Service, Packaged Sales, Platform Services), and class (AAA, AA, Indie, Mid-Core, Casual, Hyper/Hybrid-Casual)

Slides: s162 Argument: KA007 Cluster: Market Segmentation Framework Hub-Score: 64

Framing-Operationen

Macht sichtbar

Multiple ways to segment the gaming market

Macht unsichtbar

Alternative categorization schemes and overlaps between categories

Naturalisiert

These specific categories as the natural way to understand the gaming market

Abhaengigkeiten

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c434 There are many ways to cut the video game industry, each facing its own dynamics and sub-dynamics, and not all offer similar opportunities or adjacencies c_imp016 Die Abstraktiοn von Gaming zu reinen Zahlenwerten erfasst das Wesentliche der Phänomene

Ermoeglicht

c008 The gaming industry achieved new highs in each of Mobile, PC, and Console platforms c090 PC gaming has grown from 27,000 to 120,000+ total games available c091 Console gaming has grown from 7,500 to 15,000 total games available c092 New PC/Console games get only 4-7% of total playtime c095 Mobile spend is five years flat c103 The net decline in console since 2020 offsets 68% of PC growth c104 PC/Console releases are up 1.5-3.3x since 2019 but share is captive; new mobile releases are at record low shares c126 Mobile gaming participation in South Korea peaked around 2021-2022 and has since declined significantly c129 Mobile gaming participation in Italy increased by 1 point since 2019 c130 Console gaming participation in Italy declined by 1 point since 2019 c131 PC gaming participation in Italy declined by 6.5 points since 2019 c134 Each gaming platform in the UK is down from peak participation levels c138 Each individual gaming platform in France has shrunk in participation c143 Mobile gaming has the highest participation rate among platforms in Japan, reaching approximately 58% by 2024 c154 PC/Console content spend is down 8% since 2020/2021 (or -$2.3B) c155 Mobile's annual growth flattened out in 2025, but is +12% since 2020 and now outstrips PC/Console c157 Mobile game installs are at a 12-year low in the U.S. c158 Hours played in mobile gaming have tumbled in the U.S. c160 After five years, Canadian PC/Console sales are still 1.5% below 2020's levels c161 Canadian mobile gaming is up only 0.7% compared to 2020 levels c163 U.K. PC/Console gaming spending has flatlined from 2021-2024 c164 Mobile gaming has held most of its post-pandemic playerbase c165 UK mobile gaming is growing at 4.2% CAGR since 2020 c167 South Korean PC/Console gaming content spend shrank 10% from 2021-2024 c168 South Korean mobile gaming content spend dropped 4% in recent period c436 Live service games (including ads) represent 83.7% of gaming content revenue, while packaged sales only account for 12% c437 Some segments are growing at a fraction of the size of the overall market, while others are growing at multiples of it c440 Live Service content (including ads) dominates the video game content market at 83.7% with 85% growth share c444 Live Service games (including ads) represent 83.7% of gaming content revenue c275 China's gaming participation rate has grown steadily from about 44% in 2016 to approximately 51% in 2025 c279 While participation rates tumble in the U.S. and Canada, Mexico continues to grow 0.5-1.0 points each year c280 Mobile gaming participation is up 11 points since the pandemic c283 Mexico's mobile gaming market has nearly doubled since 2020 c284 Mexico now ranks 10th globally in gaming market size c285 Mexico beats the former #10 (Italy) by over 10% c286 Brazil boasts a leading and durably high participation rate with 73-80% of those age 16+ playing regularly c287 Mobile gaming is the dominant platform in Brazil, consistently maintaining 40-50% participation c288 Brazil's gaming participation has shown remarkable stability and growth from 2016-2025 c290 Brazil's mobile gaming market has averaged 7% annual growth over the last three years c291 By some estimates, Brazil is now a top 10 market globally c295 Spanish Mobile gaming spend grew 27% from 2020 to 2024 c296 Spanish Mobile gaming spend increased by $135MM from 2020 to 2024 c297 More players continue to come online across Southeast Asia and the Middle East & North Africa c298 Overall player participation rates in Southeast Asia and MENA tend to lead the world c299 There are not just 'more' players in Southeast Asia and the Middle East & North Africa, there's also a lot more revenue and growth. c306 Designing for 'Low End' Devices is a specific strategic choice for capturing global gaming benefits c307 Operating for 'Low End' ARPU is a specific strategic choice for capturing global gaming benefits c309 iPhone performance has dramatically increased from 2007 to 2025, with Metal performance showing the most significant gains in recent years c310 The desire to 'design up' to newer specs is driven by advancing smartphone capabilities that enable richer graphics, animations, and concurrent on-screen activities c311 Many of the most popular games globally, even fast-twitch shooters, are designed to play well on iPhones 10-14 generations old (some older than the PlayStation 4!) c312 iPhone 5S, 6, and 6S were dropped in summer of 2025 due to Apple's 'forced upgrade cycle' for Xcode 16 c313 High-end mobile games like Assassin's Creed and Resident Evil are only available on high-end iPhone models c317 Globally, 65% of Google Play video game revenue worldwide comes from low and mid-tier devices c318 In markets such as LATAM, 90% of Google Play video game revenue comes from low and mid-tier devices c319 Operating economics present challenges for companies as they must be set up to profit on and practically invest behind customers with a fraction of major market ARPU c320 US & Canada generates the highest quarterly bookings per DAU at $50.9 compared to other regions c321 Globally, average revenue per player by country per year can vary by as much as 200x, with most of the 'mature markets' at $150-275, and 'ROW' reaching the low single digits c322 Different markets measure populations at different age thresholds (5+, 10+, 16+, 18+) which causes both sample bias and inflates or deflates ARPU c325 Non-Western players prioritize different (and generally less valuable) players by investing in content and experiences that are for them (and not for most Western players) c326 Different games create culturally specific events and content for different regional markets, as evidenced by the contrasting event themes across Fortnite, Call of Duty, PUBG, and Free Fire c330 Despite the post-pandemic industry slump, PUBG has been able to grow considerably c331 PUBG is already one of the world's bigger games c439 Each sub-cut represents a very different share of growth c441 Different companies in the 'video gaming industry' exist in very different universes and experience fundamentally different growth prospects

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