Gaming revenue tops $200 billion in 2025: a record $201.6 billion

The global games business brought in a record $201.6 billion in 2025, according to the 2025 global games revenue report. It was the first time gaming cleared the $200 billion mark, with overall growth reaching 9.1%.

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The money went up. Jobs didn’t. The report says around 45,000 positions were cut between 2022 and mid-2025, including more than 5,000 in 2025 alone. Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft were all tied to layoffs, restructurings, or canceled projects as publishers pulled back after overexpanding during the post-pandemic boom.

The report also shows pretty clearly where that growth came from. Mobile led with $113.3 billion, up 10.7%. PC reached $43.6 billion, a 12% jump, while console climbed to $44.7 billion, up 2.8%. The strongest momentum came from platforms with lower barriers to entry.

If you follow the business side of gaming, this report is worth your time. AAA development costs now run into the hundreds of millions. Tighter margins are pushing even successful publishers to narrow their portfolios. And in the US, support for unions has climbed to 82%, with United Videogame Workers-CWA launching in March 2025.

The outlook is still positive, with $213.9 billion in 2026 revenue forecasts and $234 billion by 2028, even if workers still aren’t seeing much of that growth.