The Gaming Industry is Projected to Obtain $205-$320 Billion in Revenue This Year: What Might Shift and Stay
The gaming industry has always been going strong. Trends change, and the industry follows. Despite shifts in trends, the gaming industry is projected to thrive in 2026. Forecasts indicate that revenue will continue to rise to $350 billion by 2030, but 2026 could reach $320 billion.
Notable Trends
Design-wise, players in this era have shown more interest in simpler designs. This is why casino games still gain attention from many players. They’re simple, and several providers stood out because of their simple, clean design. One of them is Hacksaw Gaming.
Accessibility makes it even easier for players to trust the games they’re playing. For example, they can try a Hacksaw Gaming demo before using real money to play. This mechanism allows players to test the game they’re interested in without leveraging real money. It also helps them get more comfortable in the gaming mechanisms and can later jump in wth real money more confidently.
Mobile-first games are still dominating the industry. They used to be a secondary experience, but that’s not the case in 2026. Mobile gaming alone is expected to contribute around 46% to 49% of the total market in 2026. That’s close to $130 billion.
Another reason why online casinos thrive in this digital era is that the majority of casino game developers have optimized their games with mobile players in mind. Hacksaw games are fully optimized for mobile play, adjusting graphics and mechanisms regardless of the mobile device. This is only one of the examples of how mobile users contribute highly to the entire gaming industry.
AI Revolution
AI has been one of the most significant developments that affected almost every industry. The gaming sector has felt the benefit and influence of AI, triggering many innovations that assist developers in creating better games and make tasks easier.
In the third quarter of 2025 alone, 20% of new Steam games used AI in various ways throughout their development. This is double the rate reported from the year’s earlier months. Industry surveys further show that around 50% studios are now actively using AI tools or considering using them in later development.
AI’s influence in game-making is significant. It had led to NVIDIA releasing tools like Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE). These tools enable NPC (Non-Player Characters) to be able to hold more realistic conversations. They can also react dynamically depending on the player’s actions.
Unity Muse is another example of an AI-powered tool that game developers often use. Unity Muse can generate 3D assets, which include complex animations and the entire in-game environments through video or text prompts.
It’s a dramatic development, especially when it comes to costs related to repetitive tasks. AI enables real-time gameplay adaptation to player behavior, building a more immersive experience. The challenge for developers is to ensure the game’s creative vision still comes from humans to ensure special deliveries.
There are still some controversies to address, as many players are against AI-generated content. All studios deciding to leverage AI must be able to find a solution to this concern. It’s not only because of the ethical concerns for AI use, but there’s also fear that once all studios are using AI for creation, all games would feel the same without any distinct or creative signatures.
As AI tools are accessible, there’s also a concern of a downgrade in quality. Many developers are jumping into the gaming industry while leveraging AI tools to make a quick game without caring about the quality.
Price Creep
Players have seen a fair share of expensive games, but prices kept getting higher as the year changed into 2026. Not only the price for one game, but also how developers sell multiple editions of their games alongside ‘special-priced’ bundles that would stack up into a big number.
The market will likely remain split. AAA studios will still put a high price on their games, while also releasing multiple editions that will add to players’ bills. AAA still garners a lot of attention; 2026 isn’t the year when they’ll fear losing players.
However, on the other side of the market, there would still be smaller studios and indie developers providing tighter pricing models. They’ll focus on making 12-20-hour campaigns focusing on delivering a stronger replay value and better pacing. This also avoids buggy games or games trying to look bigger than they are from entering the market.
