DYNAMICS AND TRENDS OF THE GLOBAL VIDEO GAME MARKET IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY

Keywords: video games, market dynamics, digital economy, experience economy, video game market, monetization, player demographics, economic indicators

Abstract

The article examines the structural and dynamic transformations of the global video game market within the modern digital economy. The study analyzes the growth of the global gaming audience, which increased from 2.2 billion people in 2016 to 3.3 billion people in 2024 and represents 41% of the world population, following a stable linear trend (R² = 0.993). The article highlights the domination of mobile gaming in industry structure, which generated 55% of market revenue in 2022. The growth of average revenue per user (ARPU) remains unstable, depending on factors such as the lower purchasing power of emerging markets. The study refutes popular economic stereotypes about the core gaming audience: for the last 20 years the number of female players has been increasing and approaching parity to male players. Furthermore, in developed Western European markets, the share of the 40+ age category remains stable and statistically significant. The article’s findings can be applied to the comprehensive analysis of companies and products within the video game industry and other creative sectors.

References

Grand View Research (2024) Video Game Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Platform, By Type, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024–2030. Available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/video-game-market-size/global (accessed May 6, 2026)

Hrechko, A., Zakharov, N., Falko, M. (2021) Dynamika rozvytku rynku rozробky ta monetizatsiyi videoіhor [Dynamics of the development of the market for the development and monetization of video games]. Ekonomika ta derzhava, no. 5. DOI: http://www.economy.nayka.com.ua/?op=1&z=8871 (accessed May 6, 2026)

Sholudko, O., Hrytsyna, O., Danylyshyn, R. (2022) Video game market as a part of the global economy and its influx. Agrarian Economy, vol. 15 (3-4), pp. 45–52. Available at: https://agrarianeconomy.lnup.edu.ua/index.php/en/component/content/article/59-english/archive/2022-t-15-3-4-en/458-15 (accessed May 7, 2026)

Jukić, D. (2023) Development of the gaming industry from a marketing perspective. Strategic Management, vol. 28. Available at: https://sm.ef.uns.ac.rs/index.php/proceedings/article/view/391 (accessed May 7, 2026)

Hong, D., Christofferson, A. (2024) Global video game revenue to reach $257 billion by 2028, outpacing combined revenues of other media types. Bain & Company. Available at: https://www.bain.com/about/media-center/press-releases/2024/global-video-game-revenue-to-reach-$257-billion-by-2028-outpacing-combined-revenues-of-other-media-types-finds-bain--company (accessed May 8, 2026)

Merkulova, T., Bobrov, V. (2024) Mobile games market trends in context of experience economy. Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2592-8813-2024-spec-9 (accessed May 8, 2026)

Merkulova, T., Bobrov, V. (2025) Cross-platform video games as a phenomenon of the experience economy: assessing potential and challenges. Business Inform, no. 9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32983/2222-4459-2025-9-532-543 (accessed May 9, 2026)

Exploding Topics (2024) Number of Gamers Worldwide: Statistics and Trends. Available at: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/number-of-gamers#editor-picks (accessed May 9, 2026)

Macrotrends LLC (2025) World Population (1950–2025). Available at: https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/wld/world/population (accessed May 10, 2026)

Statista (2024) Number of TV viewers worldwide from 2017 to 2030. Available at: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1207931/tv-viewers-worldwide-number/ (accessed May 10, 2026)

Statista Digital Market Outlook (2025) Average revenue per unit (ARPU) – video games (media market) worldwide. Available at: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1436289/average-revenue-per-unit-arpu-video-games-media-market-worldwide (accessed May 11, 2026)

Clement, J. (2023) U.S. gamers by gender 2023. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/232383/gender-split-of-us-computer-and-video-gamers/ (accessed May 11, 2026)

Statista (2025) Gaming in Europe by age and country (forecast). Available at: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/448467/gaming-in-europe-by-age-and-country (accessed May 12, 2026)

Grand View Research. Video Game Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report, 2024–2030. 2024. URL: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/video-game-market-size/global (дата звернення: 06.05.2026).

Гречко А., Захаров Н., Фалько М. Динаміка розвитку ринку розробки та монетизації відеоігор. Економіка та держава. 2021. № 5. DOI: http://www.economy.nayka.com.ua/?op=1&z=8871 (дата звернення: 06.05.2026).

Sholudko O., Hrytsyna O., Danylyshyn R. Video game market as a part of the global economy and its influx. Agrarian Economy. 2022. No. 15 (3-4). С. 45–52. URL: https://agrarianeconomy.lnup.edu.ua/index.php/en/component/content/article/59-english/archive/2022-t-15-3-4-en/458-15 (дата звернення: 07.05.2026).

Jukić D. Development of the gaming industry from a marketing perspective. Strategic Management. 2023. No. 28. URL: https://sm.ef.uns.ac.rs/index.php/proceedings/article/view/391 (дата звернення: 07.05.2026).

Hong D., Christofferson A. Global video game revenue to reach $257 billion by 2028, outpacing combined revenues of other media types. Bain & Company. 2024. URL: https://www.bain.com/about/media-center/press-releases/2024/global-video-game-revenue-to-reach-$257-billion-by-2028-outpacing-combined-revenues-of-other-media-types-finds-bain--company (дата звернення: 08.05.2026).

Меркулова Т. В., Бобров В. Д. Mobile games market trends in context of experience economy. Baltic Journal of Economic Studies. 2024. No. 10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2592-8813-2024-spec-9 (дата звернення: 08.05.2026).

Меркулова Т. В., Бобров В. Д. Кросплатформні відеоігри як феномен економіки вражень: оцінка потенціалу та викликів. Бізнес Інформ. 2025. № 9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32983/2222-4459-2025-9-532-543 (дата звернення: 09.05.2026).

Exploding Topics. Number of Gamers Worldwide: Statistics and Trends. 2024. URL: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/number-of-gamers#editor-picks (дата звернення: 09.05.2026).

Macrotrends LLC. World Population (1950–2025). 2025. URL: https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/wld/world/population (дата звернення: 10.05.2026).

Statista. Number of TV viewers worldwide from 2017 to 2030. 2024. URL: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1207931/tv-viewers-worldwide-number/ (дата звернення: 10.05.2026).

Statista Digital Market Outlook. Average revenue per unit (ARPU) – video games (media market) worldwide. 2025. URL: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1436289/average-revenue-per-unit-arpu-video-games-media-market-worldwide (дата звернення: 11.05.2026).

Clement J. U.S. gamers by gender 2023. Statista. 2023. URL: https://www.statista.com/statistics/232383/gender-split-of-us-computer-and-video-gamers/ (дата звернення: 11.05.2026).

Statista. Gaming in Europe by age and country (forecast). 2025. URL: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/448467/gaming-in-europe-by-age-and-country (дата звернення: 12.05.2026).

Article views: 0
PDF Downloads: 0
Published
2026-05-26
How to Cite
Merkulova, T., & Bobrov, V. (2026). DYNAMICS AND TRENDS OF THE GLOBAL VIDEO GAME MARKET IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY. Economy and Society, (86). https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/D2026-86-193