PC & Console

Gaming Report
2023

©2023 Newzoo. All rights reserved.

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2
Table of Contents
Highlights 05
The Games Market 06
The Games 17
The Gamers 34

3
The PC and console market in 2023
What’s happening in the games market now and what’s to come

Last year we saw the games market face its first downturn in over a decade. As most of the world stepped
outside after several years of being shuttered, with offices and schools welcoming people back and more
live entertainment returning, PC and console playtime decreased. Compared to 2021, overall playtime
dropped by almost 15%, and there was a decrease in spending year-on-year.

As market analysts, we view the market holistically and see that these trends constitute a correction
towards pre-COVID engagement. While there was a drop in 2022, we’re confident we’ll see an upward
trend in the number of players and how much they spend, especially given that we’re above pre-COVID
engagement levels.

The battle for attention is heating up, elevating ambitions to expand the definition of engagement. We
now have the metaverse, transmedia, cross-platform, remasters, and more, all of which ensure players
stay connected to an IP, company, and/or platform. Also, the struggle to build and remain profitable
amidst rising development costs and higher risk has helped grow unique models. Subscription services,
remasters and remakes, IP licensing, and microtransactions boost profits and mitigate risks.

More than ever, Newzoo’s unique ability to track the PC and console gaming landscape and provide
critical data, insights, and trends is becoming essential for industry players looking to navigate these
tumultuous times. Our product portfolio gives us a 360-degree view of games, gamers, and the games
market so we can see what’s happening now and what to expect in an industry that never stops evolving.

4
Highlights from the 2023 report
New and updated business models, a packed release schedule, and a more diverse
player base will stabilize the PC and console market and create growth opportunities

From the Games Market Reports & Forecasts From the Game Performance Monitor From the Global Gamer Study

PC and console markets generated Average playtime dropped by 23% 2/3 of gamers played on a PC
$92.3 billion in 2022, a decline of across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation or console in the last six months.
-2.2% year on year. from 2021 to 2022.

The markets may be cooling down after the pandemic, but This isn’t a new low, though, it’s a re-correction to similar The market has become more equitable, with women
overall performance still outshines our previous forecasts. numbers to what we saw pre-pandemic. On the develop- gamers now representing 40% of the total PC & console
Developing solely for PC or console will still be viable in ment side, many companies delayed their launches from player base. Motivations to play PC and console games
the years to come, driven by live services, better access 2022 to at least 2023, contributing to last year’s playtime have also diversified significantly, as players give more
to hardware, and hybrid monetization. dip, but a new cohort of anticipated titles may level out varying reasons to play across our gamer segmentations.
playtime engagement across major platforms.

5
Know the Games Market
Understand the market with Newzoo’s
key data, forecasts, and insights

6
The market for PC and console
games was enormous in 2022

1.1 Bn
PC players in 2022

611 M
Console players in 2022

$92.3 Bn
PC and console game
revenues in 2022

7
The games market is stable and growing
Predictions for the market in 2023 after a tumultuous year in gaming

PC and console markets are readjusting after the pandemic, but overall
1 performance still outshines our previous forecasts. Developing solely for
PC or console will still be viable in the years to come, though cross-platform
strategies will be key to succeeding at scale here.

More AAA and AA publishers are pivoting their main franchises to a service-
2 based model. Expect fewer new releases and more investment into proven
franchises from larger publishers. Games looking to debut now should start as
a subscription service to grow an initial audience.

The supply chain for semiconductors will bounce back, which will boost the
3 availability of consoles. The install base for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will
grow rapidly, meaning it will be possible to develop high-end titles for current
consoles without losing too much of the total addressable market (TAM).

PC and console games companies will embrace hybrid monetization strategies,

4 including advertising and marketing. In-game advertising will be a viable
alternative for generating revenue, though it will be key to not disrupt immersion
for a game’s dedicated player base.

8
The PC and console games market hit $92.3 billion in revenue in 2022
Here’s how different segments performed, including year-on-year growth rates

Browser PC games
In 2022, people spent over $92 billion on PC and console
$2.3Bn game software worldwide. This total represented a -2.2%
decrease from the previous year’s COVID-fuelled perfor-
-16.7% YoY
mance, and as a consequence of fewer console releases.
The PC market is less hit-driven, so the lack of big titles
2.5% Downloaded/boxed PC games
didn’t have as drastic an effect. Despite the dip, the market
$38.2Bn is in a healthy state and is on track to grow over the next
several years.
+1.8% YoY

2022 Total Our revenues encompass consumer spending on games: physical

and digital full-game copies, in-game spending, and subscription

56.2%
$92.3Bn 41.3%
services like Xbox Game Pass. Our estimates exclude taxes, second-
hand trade or secondary markets, advertising revenues earned in
and around games, console and peripheral hardware, B2B services,
-2.2%
and the online gambling and betting industry.
YoY

Console games

$51.8Bn
-4.2% YoY

Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports and Forecasts | January 2023 9

The US and China accounted for 48% of PC and console spending in 2022
Here’s how different regions performed, including year-on-year growth rates

Middle East & Africa PC and console gaming is generally more popular in
Latin America
established markets like Europe, North America, Japan,
$4.2Bn $2.5Bn South Korea, and China. Emerging markets, like Middle
+2.9% YoY
East & Africa and Latin America, are mobile-first, though
+0.7% YoY we did see small growth this year in PC and console.

3% Growth in gaming comes from access to hardware, local

payment methods, online population growth, and more
Europe 5% middle-class players. The continuing growth we see in
$24.3Bn these emerging markets comes from more people being

-2.9% YoY
34% able to play PC and console games, not necessarily from
new title releases.
2022 Total
North America

26% $92.3Bn $31.2Bn Our revenues encompass consumer spending on games: physical
and digital full-game copies, in-game spending, and subscription
-2.2% -4.2% YoY services like Xbox Game Pass. Our estimates exclude taxes, second-
YoY hand trade or secondary markets, advertising revenues earned in
Asia-Pacific
and around games, console and peripheral hardware, B2B services,
$30.2Bn US Total and the online gambling and betting industry.

-0.2% YoY
$29.0Bn
33%
China Total

$15.2Bn

Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports and Forecasts | January 2023 10

The PC and console market grew by +5.8% CAGR between 2015 and 2022
2022 was a corrective year for the games market, following an intense growth period during the global pandemic

Console gaming’s revenue growth vastly outpaced PC gaming growth Lack of hardware supply and delays to game
between 2015 and 2020. During that period, the console player releases temporarily hindered revenue growth in
audience grew twice as fast as the PC audience. the hit-driven console market in 2021 and 2022.

PC Gaming
$54.5Bn $54.1Bn
$51.8Bn +3.6%
2015 – 2022F CAGR
$42.7Bn $42.7Bn
$40.2Bn $40.5Bn
$37.1Bn
$33.9Bn $34.2Bn $33.8Bn
$31.6Bn $30.7Bn $31.9Bn $32.6Bn $32.4Bn

Console Gaming

+7.8%
2015 – 2022F CAGR

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022F

PC Console

Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports and Forecasts | January 2023 11

The market significantly outperformed our expectations from 2020 to 2022
The games market outperformed pre-COVID expectations by over $32 billion over a 3-year period

Global Games Market Revenues

2020-2022 | Current Estimate vs. Pre-Pandemic*
In January 2020, we predicted that looming
privacy regulations, China’s market lockdown,
and other factors would make for a slow year.
Looking back, 2020 and 2021 saw higher
revenues than anticipated, though the market
$192.7Bn $189.6Bn experienced a dip in 2022.
$179.1Bn
While this may seem like a setback for the
$184.4Bn games market, the total revenue in 2022 was
$173.3Bn
$32.8 billion higher than we had originally
$160.5Bn forecast. Global lockdowns may have pushed
the games market to unsustainable revenue
levels, especially given the current economic
climate, but this year and the ones to come look
promising, particularly for console.

Our revenues encompass consumer spending on games:

physical and digital full-game copies, in-game spending, and
2020 2021 2022F subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. Mobile revenues
exclude advertising. Our estimates exclude taxes, secondhand
Current Estimate Pre-Pandemic Forecast trade or secondary markets, advertising revenues earned in
and around games, console and peripheral hardware, B2B
services, and the online gambling and betting industry.

* 2022 was the last year in our January 2020 forecast

Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports and Forecasts | January 2023 12

More AAA and AA publishers will pivot their main franchises
to service-based models
Expect fewer new, big releases in favor of companies extending the lifespan of existing franchises

Live-service games dominate the games market. Ranked The increased expectations for high-quality and continuous Typically, these sure bets are well-known and beloved.
by average MAU in 2022, eight out of the top 10 games content put more pressure on game development. Many sequels, remakes, remasters, and more games
were released before 2022, including Fortnite, Minecraft, Over the past decade, development time, teams, and costs based on established entertainment franchises tend to
and ROBLOX. have grown significantly. Publishers have little financial follow. Developers and publishers are taking this one step
further and pivoting to a live-service strategy, adding
With demands for fidelity, depth of gameplay, and avail- wiggle room to risk a flop and often focus on a few titles.
content to existing titles instead of creating totally new IP.
able content, the bar for single-player, narrative-driven
games has been raised to near-impossible standards. The
live-service model allows developers to finetune games
after launch but comes with an expectation for constant
support and content additions.

Sequels / remakes / remasters

Live - service games

Cost Team size

Time
New IP Yearly releases

13
Consoles will be more available as semiconductors become more plentiful
Bolstered supply chains for semiconductors will let console makers increase console production, with new gaming
content sustaining ongoing demand

Cumulative units sold* Global supply chain challenges, specifically a shortage of

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X
semi-conductors, led to the unavailability in current-gen consoles
212.9 (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S) for gamers.

Many of the supply chain issues in the games market have been
172.1 resolved or are en route to resolution. Devices like the PS5 will be
more available to consumers going into 2023.

The supply is catching up with demand, and even increasing

131.4 hardware prices, communicated due to inflation, do not stop
gamers from buying the popular devices. An economic downturn
might dampen the effect.
86.3
The cumulative units sold for the aggregate of Nintendo Switch,
PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S will grow to an estimated 208
49.8 million at the end of 2023.

30.6 After two years with sparse content due to delays across many
14.1 studios, the supply of content is set to be much larger in 2023.

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022F 2023F

* Based on a combination of Newzoo estimates and official shipment figures from company financials

Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports and Forecasts | January 2023 14

The PC and console games market will embrace hybrid monetization strategies
In-game advertising is becoming a viable alternative for AAA titles to generate revenue

There’s an entire audience of players Why in-game advertising is now viable In-game advertising strategies
who could be converted into spenders for AAA PC and console games come with their share of challenges

Previous experiments for in-game advertising in AAA One of the challenges to unlocking advertising revenue
Share of paying players per segment games failed to achieve success. The market is shifting, in AAA PC & console games is that players will be less
though, so now might be a better time to play with hybrid receptive to watching ads in exchange for rewards than in
strategies. mobile gaming. Mobile players expect this type of moneti-
zation and understand the underlying value exchange.
Here are some reasons why:
When introducing advertisements in AAA games, it’s
Advertising exchanges are automated, saving time on
46% 54% 50% 50% important that it doesn’t break the game’s immersion and
both sides
that the value exchange is clear immediately. Options that
Almost every player and every game is online fit these requirements best are:

Ad-based subscription tiers that offer cheaper

Brand marketers are sold on the power of gaming to
monthly costs but come with the occasional ad. At
reach people
PC payer share Console payer share the end of 2022, Microsoft conducted a survey that
Advertisers need a new channel to reach (young) suggested that the company could introduce a $3 tier
audiences with some exclusive content in exchange for having
The PC and console market is filled with players, but not ads pop up
all of them are spending on games themselves. 54% of Free-to-play games on PC and console are a mainstay,
but F2P monetization might be challenged in times of Blended ads that, if designed properly, integrate
players spend on PC, while 50% spend on console. These
economic uncertainty seamlessly into the gaming experience
are low figures for companies that historically charge
once for games. Rewarded ads that give users extra incentives
(in-game rewards) for clicking on or watching an ad
within a game or app

Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports and Forecasts | January 2023 15

Newzoo’s Games Market Reports and Forecasts
Access the most trusted and quoted games market sizing data, forecasts, and
trends on a global, regional, and local level.

Understand Prioritize Set

Market Movements International Roll-Out Realistic Growth Targets

Includes:

The Global Games Market Report, a Personal User Licenses

165-page PDF that analyzes the latest Personal access to your
trends, developments, and games market subscription in one place
forecasts.
Accompanying Excel dataset
Access the report, quarterly updates, key with granular data breakdown
metrics, and many more unique insights
through our Newzoo Platform.

Learn more

16
Know the Games
Diving deeper into game-level
performance and trends

17
Evolving business models brought
in new players and reinvigorated
existing audiences in 2022

100+ Bn
Hours spent playing
PC and console games

15+
Average titles played per
player on each platform

$200+
Average payer spend in
US market per platform

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Playtime and spending were down in 2022 but top games
are finding unique growth opportunities
Predictions for PC and console games and related media after a tumultuous year for developers and publishers

Overall playtime and spending were down in 2022 as COVID-19 restrictions

1 eased in many places and high-profile titles had their releases delayed.
A stellar launch lineup and continued improvement to live services in top
games will stabilize playtime and increase spending in 2023.

Landing a top position in the highest MAU rankings is becoming more

2 challenging than ever. The top games will continue to improve their live services
to provide continual content and player experiences to keep players engaged.

Top titles are adapting to the times by adopting a wider range of improved
3 monetization models, including hybridization of pay-to-play (P2P or premium)
and free-to-play (F2P or freemium) models to boost revenue.
Microtransactions, DLC, and subscription revenue streams have increased in
share of the overall market spend and will continue to grow and diversify as
publishers experiment with new techniques.

With more successful examples popping up in the market, PC and console

4 publishers will continue to leverage unique business models and opportunities
to keep players engaged with IPs even with longer launch cycles. These will
include remakes and remasters, transmedia strategies, and subscription
services.

19
Playtime is leveling out for PC and console platforms as lockdowns end
Post-COVID playtime numbers are dropping, returning to a familiar level as gamers play fewer titles and game less overall

Average hours played per platform in 2021 vs 2022 The average playtime of players dropped around 20%
across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms from 2021
to 2022. However, this is not a new low, but instead, a
-11% -37%
re-correction to similar numbers to what we saw in the
+18% years prior to the pandemic.
+18% +8% Looking at playtime distribution, the largest change is the
shift of the top bracket of hardcore players who previously
+20%
broke 1,000 hours in 2021 (on a single platform) decreasing
by 37% year-over-year in 2022. More extreme playing
engagement has mellowed to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2023, we expect to see similar levels of playtime
engagement across the major platforms.
The pandemic didn’t just affect playtime—on the
development side of the industry, many title launches
have been delayed from 2022 to at least 2023. These
delays also contributed to 2022’s decrease in playtime
and spending, especially for anticipated titles like The
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Bethesda’s IP
0-25 hr 26-100 hr 101-250 hr 251-500 hr 501-1000 hr >1000 hr Starfield.
The silver lining is 2023 should be packed with top games
2021 2022 across many genres and on every platform.

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (Steam), Xbox, PS | 37 Markets | 2021, 2022
20
Note: all metrics based on single-platform behavior and does not reflect playtime totals of players that play across multiple platforms
Fortnite topped the MAU charts for nearly every platform in 2022
Top performers on PC and console included Fortnite and Minecraft

Last year, the top titles across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation were quite similar, with the Switch being an outlier thanks to its many platform-exclusive
titles. Fortnite made it into the top three across every platform in terms of monthly active users (MAU), while Call of Duty featured two titles in the
top 10 for three platforms. Six of the top performers on the Switch were Nintendo first-party titles.

Top 10 games by average MAU in 2022 per platform

PC Xbox PlayStation Nintendo Switch

1 ROBLOX 1 Fortnite 1 Fortnite 1 Pokémon Scarlet/Violet

2 Call of Duty Modern Warfare II/ Warzone 2.0 2 Call of Duty Modern Warfare II/ Warzone 2.0 2 Call of Duty Modern Warfare II/ Warzone 2.0 2 Fortnite

3 Fortnite 3 Grand Theft Auto V 3 Grand Theft Auto V 3 Fall Guys

4 Minecraft 4 Minecraft 4 Call of Duty Modern Warfare/Warzone 4 Mario Kart 8

5 Apex Legends 5 Call of Duty Modern Warfare/Warzone 5 Apex Legends 5 Minecraft

6 Call of Duty Modern Warfare/Warzone 6 High on Life 6 NBA 2K23 6 Pokémon Legends: Arceus

7 The Sims 4 7 ROBLOX 7 NBA 2K22 7 Rocket League

8 Overwatch 1 & 2 8 Apex Legends 8 God of War: Ragnarok 8 Animal Crossing: New Horizons

9 Valorant 9 Fall Guys 9 Minecraft 9 Nintendo Switch Sports

10 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 10 NBA 2K22 10 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War 10 Splatoon 3

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS, Switch | US Only | 2022 21
Classic PC games outperformed newer titles in 2022
Older, free-to-play (F2P) PC titles like ROBLOX and Minecraft outclassed recent releases in terms of MAU

Average MAU in 2022 - PC only The PC games market is complex. It has a mix of diverse
indies and AAA juggernauts, as well as platforms like
ROBLOX pushing the boundaries of what constitutes a
Rank Game Platforms Release Date
platform versus a game.
1 ROBLOX ROBLOX 2006
The top rankings show that unique, older titles dominate
2 Minecraft Minecraft 2011
the PC market, maintaining their audiences after many
3 Fortnite EGS 2017
years.
4 The Sims 4 Origin, Steam, EGS 2014
5 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II/Warzone 2.0 Steam, Battlenet 2022 Only one title launched in 2022, Call of Duty:
6 League of Legends Riot 2009 Modern Warfare II, reached a top spot in terms
7 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Steam 2012 of average MAU
8 Valorant Riot 2020
9 Grand Theft Auto V Steam, EGS, Rockstar 2013 Half of the titles on the top MAU list launched in
10 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone Battlenet 2019 2015 or earlier
11 Overwatch 1 & 2 Battlenet 2016
Three of these titles came out before 2010
12 Apex Legends Steam, Origin 2019
13 Rocket League EGS 2015
PC is also a uniquely open market compared to how it
14 Fall Guys EGS 2020
works in the console space. For instance, although Steam
15 Destiny 2 Steam, EGS 2017
is the dominant platform, only half of the top 20 games
16 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege Steam, EGS, Uplay 2015
are available on it. The Epic Game Store now has three of
17 Cyberpunk 2077 Steam, EGS 2020
the top 20 exclusive titles, and many other proprietary
18 Genshin Impact EGS, Hoyoverse 2020
platforms command a fair share of titles and players.
19 Dota 2 Steam 2013
20 World of Warcraft Battlenet 2004

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers) | 37 Markets | 2022 22

Apex Legends is the top game in Japan by yearly active users (YAU)
Comparing rankings across various markets

Top games per market by YAU - PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox Audiences in the Western market demonstrated relatively
similar tastes, with similar games sharing the top spots by
YAU. Sports titles were the notable key divergence points
US Germany Japan between these different markets. In Germany, FIFA 22
Fortnite Fortnite Apex Legends and FIFA 23 made it into the top 10, while the US showed
a stronger preference for NBA 2K22.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II/Warzone 2.0 Grand Theft Auto V Fall Guys
In Japan’s games market, the top five games by YAU were
Grand Theft Auto V FIFA 22 Overwatch 1 & 2
all developed by Western companies, which is significant,
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II/Warzone 2.0 Fortnite given that this market is traditionally seen as a difficult
one to succeed in for Western-developed titles. Genshin
Minecraft Fall Guys Minecraft
Impact, made by Chinese company miHoYo, also made
Fall Guys Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone Elden Ring the top ten in Japan. Across the board, companies
Apex Legends Rocket League Monster Hunter World
in China are developing games with mechanics that
appeal to audiences worldwide, but especially in Japan’s
NBA 2K22 Minecraft Grand Theft Auto V
high-spending market.
MultiVersus FIFA 23 Genshin Impact

Rocket League Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS | US, Germany, Japan | 2022 23
Shooter, Adventure, and Battle Royale games took the highest player shares
Adventure titles accounted for 83% of player share and 12% of playtime – How did other genres fare in 2022?

Top 10 genres by player share Last year, the top three genres in terms of player share
were Shooter, Adventure, and Battle Royale, with Shooter
taking a 20% share of total playtime. More than 80% of
Player share - 2022 Playtime share - 2022 players partook in an Adventure title, and almost 37% of
all playtime went to Shooters and Battle Royale games.
83% Adventure 12% Interestingly, Adventure and Sandbox games had the
same amount of playtime, despite the former taking a
77% Shooter 20%
much higher player share than the latter.

74% Battle Royale 17% This demonstrates that Sandbox players are devoted to
their titles and engage deeply with games in this genre.
63% Sports 11% Additionally, nearly half of all players played Fighting,
Platformer, or Racing games, but each genre accounts
46% Role Playing 11% for only 1% of playtime. These genres included large F2P
titles from 2022 that attracted new players but didn’t
44% Fighting 1% retain them.

44% Platformer 1%

38% Racing 1%

37% Sandbox 12%

28% Simulation 4%

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (Steam), Xbox, PS | 37 Markets | 2022 24

Games with mixed revenue models were the top releases throughout 2022
These were the top released games in the US based on their first month total revenues

Top 2022 releases in the US based on the first three months of revenue The top releases of 2022 comprised an inter-
esting mix of AAA and indie titles. However,
the largest winners in terms of initial launch
month revenue were the games that mixed
premium pricing and microtransactions,
such as NBA 2K23 and Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare II (Warzone 2.0).
The lowest performing launches took place
January February March April May June
from May to July, but included games that
instantly became fan favorites, including
Stray. Elden Ring performed admirably at
the start of the year, though it’s essential to
note that mostly smaller launches preceded
and followed its launch in February. God of
War, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Mario
Strikers: Battle League were all able to make
July August September October November December this list, even though they’re all exclusive to
their platforms.

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS | US Only | 2022 25
In-game spending accounted for nearly 50% of PC and console revenue in the US
2022 saw an even split between premium and in-game revenue for PC and console

Share of yearly console revenue Share of yearly PC revenue Revenue from premium transactions
by category - US 2022 by category - US 2022 constituted just over 50% of spending on
PC games and over 60% on console titles.
Microtransactions made up over 30% of
the revenue share for both PC and console
platforms. Spending on DLC represented
7% the key difference between PC and
13% console revenues. PC payers spent nearly
twice as much on DLC in 2022 compared
to console content.
As the top-performing titles continue to
double down on new ways to monetize
52% 31% 61%
and leverage the games-as-a-service
model, we expect non-premium revenue
32% to grow for both PC and console.

Full Game Download Downloadable Content Microtransaction Subscription

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS | US Only | 2022 26
Sports titles topped the charts for in-game revenue
The top grossing titles in the US showed how different types of games are leveraging
premium and microtransactional business models

Elden Ring was one of the most lauded and well-reviewed

Premium Revenue – US Top 10 In-Game Revenue – US Top 10 launches of 2022. It was the third-highest-grossing
premium title of the year and arguably, yet notably, the
1 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II/Warzone 2.0 1 Fortnite only title in the premium top ten that wasn’t part of an
ongoing franchise.
2 NBA 2K23 2 NBA 2K22
However, in terms of overall revenue, the most powerful
3 Elden Ring
long-standing franchises and IPs, including sports titles
3 Apex Legends
like NBA 2K23 muscled their way to the top of the lists.
4 God of War: Ragnarok 4 ROBLOX What’s unique to these types of titles is how they maintain
a regular cadence of new iterations sold per year, but
5 Pokémon Scarlet/Violet 5 Valorant also their ongoing microtransaction strategies that help
these games reach the top of both premium and in-game
6 Dying Light 2 6 Destiny 2 revenue charts.

7 Madden NFL 23 7 NBA 2K23

8 LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 8 Grand Theft Auto V

9 Tiny Tina's Wonderlands 9 League of Legends

10 Pokémon Legends: Arceus 10 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS | US Only | 2022 27
The free-to-play (F2P) model has become more
popular for developers and publishers
More than half of the top PC and console titles of 2022 used F2P business models

13 of the 20 top PC & console titles of 2022 were F2P 12 of top 20 new F2P games were only released on PC

7 PC Only
Premium
7 PC, PS & Xbox
Freemium
Xbox Only
13 12

As F2P becomes more established in the market, we see a steady growth of these titles PC is still a significant proving ground for new F2P games, with 12 of 20 top F2P games
dominating the top 20 charts by average MAU – one more in 2022 compared to 2021. in 2022 released for PC only. A lot of popular F2P games started on PC only and then
moved to consoles later, showing the efficacy of the model in terms of its scalability
beyond single platforms.

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS | 37 Markets | 2022 28
Three of the top 20 games by average MAU adopted a F2P model in 2022
More games are shifting from P2P to F2P business models—and it’s driving up revenues and sparking a larger trend

In 2022, we saw an increasing number of PC and console games

Overwatch 2 successfully relaunched the Overwatch franchise with
transition from P2P (premium) to F2P (freemium) business huge player growth in its first few months. This is a great example
models. This transition has opened games up to wider audiences of a publisher resetting and changing their overall business model
and different monetization strategies, but it’s not been without to maximize revenue potential as a live-service title.
challenges.

On average, games that pivoted to F2P saw a 327% increase in average MAU in the first
month. However, on average only 40% of players in the F2P launch month were new Following the example of other Epic-owned exclusives like Fortnite
players. Returning players are essential in revitalizing a game when it becomes free-to- and Rocket League, Fall Guys also went F2P. Epic appears to be
play. leveraging these giant player-driver titles as pillars to the Epic Game
Moving to F2P models also boosted retention for many games. The average D1 retention Store’s growth and retention strategy.
rate in the first month following an F2P launch hit 38%, while it was 29% three months
before the launch.

Unlike Overwatch 2, which revamped its business model, The Sims

4 seems to have doubled down on its DLC-driven business model.
The game removed barriers-to-entry in October, going completely
free-to-play on the base game.

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS | 37 Markets | 2022 29
Remakes and remasters drove engagement for older IP
Creating updated versions of Uncharted, The Last of Us, The Witcher III, and other games
re-engaged player bases and monetized untapped audiences

2013 2014 2022

Event performance by MAU
Uncharted: A Thief’s End & Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves
PlayStation 4 & 5 | 37 Major Markets | Aug 2021 – Aug 2022

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves released for PC

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves released on PS5

Sony re-released The Last of Us in 2014 for their newest
console, and repeated the same practice in 2022 Uncharted (2022) Movie Released to theatres

The Witcher 3: Free Next-Gen Update for

Wild Hunt PS5 & Xbox Series X

+265% MoM MAU growth rate for

The Wither 3: Wild Hunt from
November to December 2022. Jan/22 Feb/22 Mar/22 Apr/22 May/22 Jun/22 Jul/22 Aug/22 Sep/22 Oct/22 Nov/22 Dec/22

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PlayStation 4 & 5 | 37 Markets | Aug 2021 – Aug 2022 30
Robust transmedia strategies paid off for many games
Releasing the anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners renewed interest in the franchise significantly

Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the most controversial titles in recent

years, primary because of its unstable game experience and bugs.
However, the anime based on the franchise, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners,
Event performance by MAU – Cyberpunk 2077
PS 4 & 5 | 37 Major Markets | Sep 2021 – Sep 2022
achieved massive success, reinvigorating interest in the game.
The anime replicated the game’s cyberpunk setting, taking place a
Edgerunners (Patch 1.6) update: content related to
year before the storyline begins in the game. Released on Netflix in Edgerunners, new weapons, new quests, etc.
September 2022, the anime ended where the game begins (in full Adding free official game modding tools
(the Cyberpunk 2077 REDmod)
nostalgic fashion), which got players to purchase or redownload the
Patch 1.5 update: additional content,
game to renew engagement with the franchise. Engraining more customization, drive model, fix, etc.
anime content within the game continues to boost the popularity of
the entire franchise.
-50% discounts on Steam, Patch 1.52 update for
Transmedia strategies have become effective ways to boost player Xbox, and PlayStation quests and fixes
engagement and Cyberpunk 2077 is just one example. The second
season of The Witcher, released in 2021, led to MAU growth of 134%,
-50% discounts on Steam,
for instance. The hope is that engaged viewers become dedicated, Xbox, and PlayStation
-33% discounts on
long-term customers and stable revenue sources for games and Steam, and Xbox
their franchises.

+249%
MoM MAU growth rate Sep/21 Oct/21 Nov/21 Dec/21 Jan/22 Feb/22 Mar/22 Apr/22 May/22 Jun/22 Jul/22 Aug/22 Sep/22
for Cyberpunk:2077
Cyberpunk Cyberpunk:
from Aug. to Sept. 2022.
2077 Edgerunners Note: We do not include all events here. Please check the Game Performance Monitor for all event performance in games.

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | PC (all platforms/launchers), Xbox, PS | 37 Markets | Aug 2021 – Aug 2022 31
There was a correlation between live viewership hours and DAU rankings
High viewership for top performing games can drive MAU performance and increase engagement and sales

While certain top games saw a boost in sales and engagement, as well as DAU, thanks to
strong live viewership performance, we didn’t see this performance mirrored across the
entire market. Some games underperformed in terms of DAU even as viewership rose.
Top 10 viewed 2022 titles in the first 28 days after launch
Titles like Cult of the Lamb, and The Quarry have cinematic qualities, which may have led
to high viewership. These same qualities didn’t entice quite as few people to play, though. Hours Watched DAU
2022 Game Publisher
(Live Streaming) Rank Rank
Multiversus, on the other hand, saw its DAU rank skyrocket in its first month, but drew in
far fewer viewers compared to other top games. Elden Ring 1 2 Bandai Namco

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 2 1 Activision Publishing

Top viewed games on Twitch in 2022 FIFA 23 3 3 EA

God of War: Ragnarök 4 6 SIE

1 Grand Theft Auto V 6 Fortnite

2 League of Legends 7 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Dying Light 2 5 7 Techland

3 Valorant 8 Dota 2 The Cycle: Frontier 6 31 YAGER

4 Minecraft 9 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone Cult of the Lamb 7 32 Devolver Digital

5 Apex Legends 10 Mobile Legends: Bang bang Multiversus 8 4 Warner Bros.

The Quarry 9 50 2K
Viewership is still focused on PC gaming, with 4 out of the
top 10 games viewed in 2022 being PC-only NBA 2K23 10 5 Warner Bros.

Viewership still very much driven by esports/competitiveness-focused

games such as League of Legends, Valorant and Mobile Legends

Source: Newzoo Game Performance Monitor | Twitch, Facebook Gaming | PC (Steam), Xbox, PS | 2022 32
Newzoo’s Game Performance Monitor
Unlock the leading platform for tracking the engagement
and revenue KPIs of PC and console games

10,000+ 37 100+
Games tracked across PC, Xbox, Global coverage with Metrics including MAU, DAU,
PS, and Nintendo Switch 37 markets, 8 regions Lifetime players, Revenue

Coverage of the top platforms

Playing, spending, and viewing player data.

Gamer Overlap, Retention, and Churn between titles

Tracking millions of players’ behavior per platform

Revenue, ARPU for 1000+ PC & Console games in US and UK

Steam Wishlists and Reviews

Easy-to-use dashboard & API access

Learn more

33
Know the Gamers
Digging into gamer demographics, personas,
and how players are playing and spending

34
Two thirds of players play
on PC and/or console

40% of PC and/or console* players

identify as female

of PC and/or console* players play, view, and

47% engage with gaming in other ways (e.g., content

creation, socializing, podcasts etc.**)

72% of PC and/or console* players played

on at least two platforms

66% of PC and/or console* players spent money

on video games in the past 6 months

*’PC and/or console’ means players can use either or both devices and may or may not play on mobile as well.

**Other gaming engagement includes those that claim to have “often” followed video gaming channels or esports
broadcasters, socialized through/visited online gaming communities, discussed video games with family and
friends, listened to gaming podcasts, and/or attended large in-person gaming conventions in the past 12 months.

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets)

Base: Total players (n=60,020), PC and/or Console players (n=42,514)

35
The PC and console gaming audience is expanding and diversifying
What’s happening with the world of PC and console gamers after a tumultuous year

1 The PC and console player base is 2 Cross-platform play is becoming 3 PC and console gaming becoming
becoming more diverse more prevalent more gender-equal
PC and console gaming is attracting a more Nearly seven in 10 PC and console players PC and console players account for two thirds
balanced audience in terms of gender and have played on more than one platform in the of the total player base. While historically
age. Overall, players are becoming more past 6 months, with a quarter playing on all more male dominated, PC and console
varied in what drives them to engage with three platforms. Cross-platform players are gaming has become more gender equal, with
games. While unpacking demographic data an attractive cohort since they tend to lead women and non-binary players accounting
is still valuable, it’s becoming essential to look the way in time and money spent on playing now for over 40% of the total player base.
deeper into player attitudes and motivations. video games.

4 Players are reacting to new more 5 Social play motivations

diverse monetization models are increasing
Two in three PC and/or console players Motivations to play shift continuously and different games
have made video-game related purchases fulfill different motivational needs for different players.
in the past six months. With monetization Approximately six in ten PC and/or console players consider
models becoming more diverse and free-to- various social features (socializing, competing, cooperating)
play models more common, understanding to be important game features. This suggests that game
players’ motivations to spend, especially designers should provide features that create additional
in-game, is becoming essential. and unique engagement opportunities for their players.

36
2/3 of gamers played on a PC and/or console over the past six months
Female players make up 40% of all PC and/or console players

Share of PC and/or console players (past 6 months) Demographics

Base: Total players Base: Total players; Total PC and/or console players

1% 1%
25% 22%
45% 40%
22% 41 - 65
Non-binary 22%
31 - 40
Female
27% 21 - 30
Male 27%
60% 10 - 20
54%
27% 29%

Total players PC and/or Total players PC and/or

(incl. mobile) console players (incl. mobile) console players

PC and/or console players account for a significant share of the total audience we survey in the
Global Gamer Study. Two-thirds of players reported having played on a PC and/or console in
the past six months. While PC & console historically has skewed toward a more male-identify-
66% ing audience, the market has become more equal in terms of gender representation. Women
gamers now represent 40% of the total PC and/or console player base. There are many factors
of total players have played on a PC contributing to this more equitable landscape—overall, gaming has become more accepted
and/or console in the past 6 months as a pastime and vocation, while publishers and developers are improving how female charac-
ters are represented. For instance, NBA 2K22 featured Candace Parker on the game’s cover,
marking the first time the title had a female cover athlete. Additionally, the age breakdown of
PC and/or console players is nearly identical to how the total player base looks overall.

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets)
37
Q. Platforms played on in the past 6 months, Gender, Age combined, Base: Total players (n=60,020), PC and/or Console players (n=42,514)
4 in 10 PC and/or console gamers are core gamers
Core gamers invest more time and money into games, making them attractive to game developers and publishers

Level of identifying as a gamer* Demographics

Base: Total PC and/or console players Base: Total PC and/or console players

Casual Gamers Midcore Gamers Core Gamers

Casual Midcore Core

% share 25% 35% 40% 1% 1% 1%

41% 33%
49%
Play time/week 4.5 hr 6 hr 9 hr
Non-binary

67% Female
% of payers 42% 66% 82%
Male
51%
58%

There are many ways to define a gamer. Behavioral indicators alone, like time and money
spent, no longer sufficiently describe this large and diverse group. So, we zoomed in on
the attitudinal and motivational differences surrounding gaming. We derived the casual, 22% 15%
33%
midcore, and core gamer groups from three gamer identification statements that have 24% 41 - 65
22%
the highest correlation with gamer identity and engagement. 20% 31 - 40
29%
When we look at these groups among PC and/or console players, we find that the largest 28% 21 - 30
24%
share (40%) falls into the core group. As you would expect, this core group plays and 10 - 20
28% 33%
spends more on average, also skewing younger and more male. 23%

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets)
38
Q. Level of identifying as a gamer, Time spent playing per week, Payers (past 6 months), Gender, Age combined | Base: PC and/or Console players (n=42,514), Casual (n=10,260), Midcore (n=14,781), Core (n=17,473)
Every player segment had distinct reasons to
play, demonstrating a diversity of players
Using tactics and strategic thinking to overcome challenges was the
most consistent top reason across Casual, Midcore, and Core players

Casual Midcore Core

Spending time exploring and finding secrets in

#1 Reaching the highest level/score 50% Completing as many of the game’s tasks/goals 67% 84%
Top 3 reasons a detailed game world
to play games Using tactics and strategic thinking to Using tactics and strategic thinking Using tactics and strategic thinking to
#2 50% 67% 83%
Base: Total PC and/or overcome challenges to overcome challenges overcome challenges
console players Spending time exploring and finding secrets in
#3 Completing as many of the game’s tasks/goals 49% 66% Appreciating games with an interesting design 83%
a detailed game world

#1 Puzzle solving aspects 32% Exploration and open worlds 31% Exploration and open worlds 32%
Top 3 appealing
features
#2 Game theme or setting 29% Strong narrative or story 30% Multiplayer and social aspects 31%
Base: Total PC and/or
console players
#3 Exploration and open worlds 27% Game theme or setting 29% Strong narrative or story 30%

#1 Fantasy 31% Fantasy 38% Fantasy 41%

Top 3 appealing
setting/themes
#2 Survival 29% Survival 36% Survival 40%
Base: Total PC and/or
console players
#3 Mystery 28% Science fiction 34% Science fiction 38%

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets)
Q. Reasons for playing video games; Appealing features of games; Appealing themes or settings of games 39
Base: PC and/or Console players (n=42,514), Casual (n=10,260), Midcore (n=14,781), Core (n=17,473)
There’s more than one way to understand and define gamers
Going beyond Casual, Midcore, and Core definitions to understand your ideal gaming audience

Game Fans Regular Players

Being a “gamer” now means engaging
in a wider (and increasingly more
mainstream) culture of gaming,
including following streamers, social-
izing in communities, making specific
hardware choices, and more.
The Ultimate Gamer The All-Round Enthusiast The Community Gamer
The Solo Gamer Since behaviors alone don’t provide
“Gaming is in my DNA! “I am interested in all forms of “If it’s game-related, I’m there!
There are few things I love gaming, from playing to watching News, videos, podcasts,
enough detail to define gamer
“I love getting into a game, and
more. I spend my free time and everything in between.” forums, games—I love it all.
I’ll buy the kit I need to get me
personas accurately, we developed
and money on games.” And I’ll never shy away from a
community discussion.”
immersed – but playing with the Newzoo Gamer Segmenta-
others or watching others
tion™ model, which uses behaviors,
play interests me less”
attitudes and motivations across
Game Viewers Time Fillers several dimensions to create distinct
Personas for players.
Personas reflect the identities and
behaviors of players, giving gamers
of all types a unique voice for under-
standing what they play and how
The Mainstream Gamer much of their time and financial
The Popcorn Gamer The Backseat Viewer The Time Filler power they dedicate to gaming.
“With so many great games and
“Playing video games may not “I used to game a lot. Whenever “I only game when I have time to ways to get content nowadays,
be my favorite hobby, but I I watch a big esports event and spare or at social events. Mobile I don’t need to spend big to
definitely enjoy watching watch others playing games, games are my go-to.” keep games fresh - especially
others play.” that passion is reignited.” if they’re free!”

40
Mainstream and Popcorn Gamers are the most common gamer Personas
Core PC and/or console players are over-indexing in “Game Fans” segments

Newzoo’s Gamer Personas*

Mainstream Gamers and Popcorn Gamers
Base: Total PC and/or console players
Total PC and/or Casual Midcore Core are the most common personas among
console Players PC and/or console players.
1%
7% 4% 2% While Mainstream Gamers are passionate
Ultimate Gamers 4% 9% 16% about playing games, they don’t spend a
7%
15% lot of money on the pastime. This group
Game
All-Round Enthusiasts 8% 9%
Fans mostly plays F2P games and discounted
6% 16% titles, which is increasingly enabled by the
Community Gamers 18% industry itself.
9% Popcorn Gamers don’t devote much time
29% 37% to playing games, but that doesn’t stop
5%
Solo Gamers them from watching lots of game video
Regular content, live streams, or esports.
Players
Mainstream Gamers 43% The more players veer toward Core, the
more likely they are to fall into the Game
26% 47% Fans category. This grouping includes
Game Ultimate Gamers, who live and breathe
Popcorn Gamers
Viewers 41% games across all platforms and genres
and want to own the latest and greatest
17% 19% gaming hardware and equipment.
Time Time Fillers
Fillers 5%
2%

*Newzoo’s proprietary gamer segmentation wherein playing, viewing, owning, and socializing/other gaming engagement are the four main dimensions for classification.
Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets) 41

Q. Newzoo’s Gamer Segmentation | Base: PC and/or Console players (n=42,514), Casual (n=10,260), Midcore (n=14,781), Core (n=17,473)
Approximately 75% of PC and console players are engaging in ways beyond playing
Every new generation engages with games in more varied ways

Gaming engagement overlap

Base: Total PC and/or console players
While “playing” remains a core activity of
the gaming experience, the ways in which
Total PC and/or console players Engages every way players are engaging with games, game
worlds, and game IP continue to expand.
Play & View & Other
43% Gen Alpha 52% This is particularly true among younger
engagement1
generations. For example, 52% of Gen
Play & Other Gen Z 49% Alpha PC and/or console players engage
4%
engagement1 with games across all dimensions,
Millennials 45% including playing, viewing, and other
Play & view 29% forms such as socialization, podcasts,
Gen X 28% in-person events.

Only play 24% Baby This level and breadth of engagement

9%
Boomers among younger cohorts of players signals
that gaming is expanding beyond just
gameplay and viewing, with the metaverse
and immersive worlds like Fortnite and
1
Other gaming engagement includes those that claim to have “often” followed video gaming channels or esports broadcasters, socialized through/visited online gaming ROBLOX captivating players in a way that
communities, discussed video games with family and friends, listened to gaming podcasts, and/or attended large in-person gaming conventions in the past 12 months transcends a simple pastime.

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study (Global weighted average across 36 markets)
Q. Total players, Total gaming video content viewers, Those who engage with gaming beyond playing/viewing in the past 12 months (% often)
Base: PC and/or Console players (n=42,514), Gen Alpha (born 2010 or later / 10 - 12 y.o.) (n=2,692), Gen Z (born 1995 - 2009 / 13 - 27 y.o.) (n=17,248),
Millennials(born 1981 - 1994 / 28 - 41 y.o.) (n=14,186), Gen X (born 1965 - 1980 / 42 - 53 y.o.) (n=6,106), Baby Boomers (born 1946 - 1965 / 54 - 65 y.o.) (n=2,282)

42
Gaming is increasingly becoming a platform for connection and socializing
Social game features play an important role for PC and/or console players

Importance of social features Current involvement and future interest

in games (% top 3 box out of 7) in socializing within games Socializing is fast becoming an important
Base: Total PC and/or console players Source: Newzoo’s Metaverse Sentiment Study | April 2021 part of the gaming experience. Aside from
Base: Total PC and/or console players 14-50 years old competing with other players or cooper-
Socialize with ating towards a common goal, PC and/
62%
other players 78% or console players look for other types of
Complete with
connection and socializing engagement.
64%
other players 55%

Cooperate towards Players are flocking to gaming commu-

65%
a common goal nities or congregating in virtual game
worlds, with younger generations valuing
Currently gets together in Interested in socializing the ability to socialize and cooperate in
game worlds, not while in game worlds beyond games more than preceding generations.
In the past 12 months, 1/2 of PC and/or console playing the main game* game play in the future** Game designers can create additional
players often or sometimes socialized through and unique engagement opportunities by
or visited online gaming communities / social adding social features into their games.
*Includes occasionally and often
media groups **Includes Yes, definitely and Yes, probably

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets); Newzoo’s Metaverse Sentiment Study | April 2021 (Aggregate of 4 markets: U.S, UK, CN, JP)
Q. Importance of social features, Frequency socialized through / visited online gaming communities or social media groups (past 12 months); Socializing method - Getting together in
game worlds, but not while playing the main game, Socializing in game worlds in future

Base: Total PC and/or Console players (n=42,514) ; Total PC and/or console players aged 14-50 (n= 2,418)

43
Cross-platform play becoming more common among PC and/or console players
Nearly a quarter of PC and/or console players engage with all platforms (PC, console, mobile)

PC and/or console platform player overlap* Roughly 7-in-10 PC and/or

Base: Total PC and/or console players
console players have played
on more than one platform in
the past six months.
Console Only 14%
Playing on both PC and mobile is most
prevalent, and nearly one in four players
PC Only 14% play on all three platforms.
With more AAA PC and console titles
Mobile / Console 18% coming to mobile, enabling cross-platform
progression, and cloud gaming expanding
and becoming more established, cross-
Mobile / PC 25%
platform play will likely gain more
momentum in the future.
Console / PC 6% Publishers with cross-platform and cross-
progression titles give players the chance
to keep engaging with their IP across more
Mobile / Console / PC 23%
devices. Engagement leads to revenues
and strengthens IP, evidenced by success
stories like Fortnite and ROBLOX.

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets) | Q. Platforms played on in the past 6 months
Base: PC and/or Console players (n=42,514) | *Please note, this excludes mobile-only players. 44
Cross-play signaled an increase in playtime and spend
The proportion of payers nearly doubled from single- to triple-platform among PC and/or console players

Share of payers by number of platforms Time spent playing by number of platforms

Base: Total PC and/or console players Base: Total PC and/or console players

11.13 hr
81%

64% 8.18 hr
57%

Average time spent

% of payers 4.18 hr
playing per week

1 2 3 1 2 3
Number of platforms played on Number of platforms played on

81%
of PC and/or console players who played on all three platforms PC and/or console players who played on all three platforms
in the past 6 months spent money on video-game related purchases spent on average more than 11 hours per week playing games

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets) | Q. Payers (past 6 months), Time spent per week, Platforms played on in the past 6 months
45
Base: PC and/or Console players (n=42,514), Players that have played on one platform (n=11,686), Two platforms (n=19,279), Three platforms (n=11,549)
Cloud gaming may accelerate cross-platform play
PC and/or console players who tried cloud gaming services are significantly more likely to play on multiple platforms

Awareness of cloud gaming Number of platforms played on

Base: Total PC and/or console players Base: Total PC and/or console players

We expect that cloud gaming will enter a

new growth stage in 2023.
Cloud gaming reduces barriers to play
20% for many would be gamers, including
34% 30%
Unaware
hardware-related costs, opening cross-
66% Aware
Play on: platform play to a wider demographic.
47% 1 platform We can already see this trend in full
49%
2 platforms swing. PC and/or console players who
3 platforms have tried or are currently using cloud
gaming services are more likely to play on
33% multiple platforms, as opposed to those
Among those aware:
21% who haven’t tried cloud gaming.

58% 42% Current & past cloud Non-cloud

Yet, one of the first obstacles to this
Currently play or have Have not played games growth will be awareness of cloud gaming
gaming users gaming users
played games via cloud via cloud gaming and the benefits it provides to gamers.
gaming services before services before

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets) | Q. Cloud gaming awareness, Tried cloud gaming, # of platforms played on in the past 6 months
46
Base: PC and/or Console players (n=42,514), Current & past cloud gamers (n=8,349), Non-cloud gaming players (n=34,514)
Two thirds of PC and/or console players spend money on video games
Sales and exclusive playable content are the top motivators for video game spending

There are many reasons why players

Share of payers Top reasons to spend money on video games spend money on game-related purchases
Base: Total PC and/or Base: Total PC and/or console payers | Top 5 out of 13 beyond the actual game itself. Unlocking
console players
extra and exclusive content and receiving
For a sale / special offer / good price 34% special offers are reportedly the most
common.
Unlock extra / exclusive playable content 33%
A notable 86% of PC and/or console
Play with friends or family 28%
players have purchased in-game items/
Personalize charcters or things built in-game 28% virtual goods in the past six months.
Advance quicker / easier in the game 26% In-game currencies, gear, and expansion
or content packs are the top three items
that players spent money on.
Top 5 in-game items/virtual goods spent money on (P6M)
In-game currencies 27%

Gear 26%

Expansion or content packs 25%

66% Power-ups 24%
of PC and/or console
players are payers Playable charcters or heroes 24%

Payers: Past 6 months players who, on average, spend money on a monthly basis on games on a PC, console, or mobile device.
Spending money includes gifts, downloadable content, subscriptions, and other micro-transactions.

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets) | Q. Payers; Main reasons to spend money on video games; In-game items/virtual goods spent money on (past 6 months)
47
Base: PC and/or console players (n=42,514); PC and/or console payers (n=27,508)
One in five PC and/or console players are big spenders
The top motivators for big spenders remain sales, special offers, and good pricing

Share of big spenders Top reasons to spend money Top 5 in-game items/virtual
Base: Total PC and/or console players on video games goods spent money on (P6M)
Base: PC and/or console payers | Top 5 out of 13 Base: PC and/or console payers | Top 5 out of 13

17% Non-big
spenders*
Big
spenders*
Non-big
spenders*
Big
spenders*
of PC and/or console
players are big spenders* For a sale / special
33% 36% Expansion or content packs 23% 32%
offer / good price
on either PC, console, or
Unlock extra / exclusive
both platforms. playable content
32% 35% In-game currencies 26% 31%

Play with friends or family 26% 33% In-game subscriptions 22% 30%
While motivations to spend and types of
Personalize characters
in-game items purchased don’t differ in terms 27% 30% Gear 24% 30%
or things built in-game
of priority, big spenders are motivated by a
wider number of reasons and are more likely to Advance quicker
25% 29% Power-ups 23% 28%
/ easier in the game
spend on in-game items.

Big spenders vs Non-big spenders @95% confidence interval Significantly lower Significantly higher

*Big spenders spend €/£/$ 25 or more a month

Source: Newzoo Global Gamer Study 2022 (Global weighted average across 36 markets)
Q. Money spent per month on console games (past 6 months); Money spent per month on PC games (past 6 months); Main reasons to spend money on video games; In-game items/virtual goods spent money on 48

(past 6 months) | Base: PC and/or console players (n=42,514); Big PC and/or console spenders (n=6,787); Non-big PC and/or console payers (n=20,721)
Newzoo’s Global Gamer Study
Access the most comprehensive global consumer research
covering the gaming landscape and gaming audiences.

75,000+ 36 200+
Consumers surveyed Global coverage Variables
yearly with 36 markets Tracked

Includes:

Gaming behavior across all platforms / dimensions

Playing and vieiwng motivations & attitudes

Spending behavior and motivations

Media, lifestyle, and consumer brands consumption

Easy-to-use consumer insights dashboard access

Learn more

49
Looking forward to 2023 and beyond
Newzoo’s outlook for this year in games, gamers, and the games market

50
2023 will be a strong growth year for the PC and console market
Console gaming will be an especially powerful force in the market

Global PC and console gaming revenue | 2020 – 2025F As we said before, 2022 was a corrective
2023F – 2025F values indexed using 2022F as base number year following two years of lockdown-fueled
growth, but our long-term outlook for the
games market remains positive.
$60.0 Bn 1.40
1.28 We forecast strong growth for the combined
1.18 PC & console market, particularly driven by
$54.5 $54.1 1.20
$50.0 Bn 1.09
Bn Bn $51.8 console gaming.
Bn
1.00 2023 should bring a lot of new owners for
$40.0 Bn 1.02 1.03
$40.2 $40.5 1.01 current generation PlayStation and Xbox
$37.1 Bn Bn 0.80 consoles, and upcoming content launches will
Bn
$30.0 Bn give them plenty of opportunities to spend on
0.60 games.
$20.0 Bn The growing install base and extra content will
0.40
also help console revenues grow in the coming
$10.0 Bn three years. PC revenue will also grow in this
0.20
period, albeit at a slower pace.

$0.0 Bn
2020 2021 2022F 2023F 2024F 2025F

PC Console PC Console

Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports & Forecasts | January 2023 51

Games delayed in 2022 will make an impact in 2023
Many companies delayed their highly-anticipated titles from 2022 to this year and beyond

Awareness of upcoming PC/console releases Throughout last year, PC and console

Base: PC and/or console players aged 10-50, U.S. gamers were disappointed to see many
much-awaited launches get delayed to
2023 and even later. This was a contribut-
Awareness Purchase intent Awareness Purchase intent ing factor to the market’s slowdown (and
re-correction), reducing playtime and
Resident Evil 4 (2023) 50% 20% Tekken 8 33% 12%
revenues.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 47% 18% Dead Space (2023) 32% 12% However, many of the releases that would
have made an impact in 2022 may make
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom 43% 17% Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora 32% 10%
even bigger waves this year. Thanks to
Street Fighter 6 42% 15% Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe 31% 11% many delays, the launch lineup for 2023
is now incredibly strong and includes
Final Fantasy XVI 41% 14% ARK 2 26% 9% promising titles such as Resident Evil 4
and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Hogwarts Legacy 40% 15% Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 26% 9%
Add to this stacked release schedule a
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor 39% 14% Starfield 26% 9% heightened interest in finding innovative
ways to engage with players and generate
Diablo IV 37% 13% Horizon Call of the Mountain 23% 9%
revenue, as well as a growing desire to
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 36% 13% Redfall 23% 8% expand IP into successful transmedia
outings, and we have an exciting year for
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League 35% 13% Fire Emblem Engage 22% 9% the PC & console market.

Dead Island 2 33% 12% Baldur's Gate 3 22% 12%

Source: Newzoo Game Health Tracker (January data)

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Base: Representative sample of PC and/or console gamers aged 10-50 in the United States (n=3,088)
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