Global gaming market shifts toward PC as mobile sector faces decline

The global video game industry is experiencing structural shifts, characterized by a surge in PC gaming and a decline in mobile gaming. In Japan, the PC gaming market share rose to 12.5% in 2025, up from 5% in 2019. This growth is attributed to the prolonged PlayStation 5 supply shortages during the pandemic, which drove players toward PC platforms, and a strategic shift by Japanese developers like Capcom and SEGA toward multi-platform releases.

Globally, the market shows significant divergence. Steam continues to see high growth, with revenue increasing by 13% over the past year. While the console market saw a 90% revenue jump driven by the launch of Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation and Xbox revenues declined. Conversely, the mobile gaming sector is facing pressure, with quarterly in-app purchase revenue falling by 4% and downloads dropping by 12% to multi-year lows. The mobile market is increasingly dominated by mature, long-lifecycle titles.

Regionally, China remains the leader in mobile gaming revenue, while Singapore and Turkey have emerged as fast-growing publishing hubs. Capital investment in the sector is rebounding, with a focus on AI technology, advertising tech, and game infrastructure, as evidenced by significant funding rounds for various AI-related gaming enterprises.