This Year, the Gaming Market Will Set a Revenue Record — Do You Know the Reason?
The video game market is gearing up for a historic leap. According to analytics firm Circana, consumer spending in the United States could grow by 3% in 2026, reaching $62.8 billion. This would surpass the record set during the pandemic year of 2021, when the industry collected $61.7 billion. Growth is also expected in other regions, but making precise forecasts there is more difficult.
The main driver will be a new project from Rockstar Games. Analyst Mat Piscatella calls the level of interest in GTA 6 unprecedented: the "purchase intent" metric has become the highest in the history of observations. The release will trigger a wave of sales not only for the game itself but also for consoles, accessories, and subscriptions. Other major new releases like Resident Evil: Requiem and Marvel's Wolverine will also heat up the market.
The hype around the crime saga is already being compared to an attack on infrastructure. Users and technical experts seriously fear that on the day of the premiere, provider servers may not be able to handle the influx of those wanting to download the game.