By Sagar V. Mankar The gaming industry in the United States has exploded in recent years.
Valued at $57.91 billion in 2024, it is expected to reach a staggering $90.79 billion by 2029, with an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.41%.
What is powering this rapid expansion? Let’s analyze the Mordor Intelligence report.
Skyrocketing Mobile Gaming Adoption
Mobile gaming reigns supreme in the US, surpassing both console and PC gaming in popularity.
- Mobile (57%)
- Consoles (46%)
- PCs (42%).
The reasons are obvious: mobility, affordability, and technological innovations like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), 5G, and cloud gaming.
Cloud gaming is also picking up steam, enabling users to stream high-performance mobile games without expensive hardware upgrades.
With 5G and WiFi 6 easing data constraints, expect mobile gaming to dominate American living rooms.
The mobile segment may constitute over 60% of the total gaming market by 2025.
This drives big PC/Console players like Microsoft and Sony to enter into this segment to catch this wide audience.
In 2021, Netflix tapped into mobile gaming by releasing five titles for Android users.
Now it boasts around 80+ titles including hits like GTA Trilogy, and Sonic Mania.
Surging Cloud Gaming Subscriptions
Cloud gaming allows the playing of graphics-intensive games on low-end devices by shifting the processing to servers.
It could expand the target demographic exponentially.
Recognizing its potential, big tech and telcos are jumping in.
Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are optimizing networks and crafting bundled offers.
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscriptions exceeded 10 million last year, with multiplayer engagement spiking 130% during the pandemic.
As 5G coverage expands from around 20% to over 90% by 2025, cloud gaming will likely gain traction.
We could see 100 million cloud gaming subscribers in the US by 2030.
Broadening Player Base Across Age Groups
Gaming is no longer considered just for teenagers.
The average age of US gamers is 35 years.
Over 80% of gamers above 18 years spent more than 3 hours per week playing games in 2023.
Even parents see gaming positively: 71% believe it offers children much-needed breaks, while 66% find it makes remote learning smoother.
Casual games such as Candy Crush, which allow for short gameplay sessions, are more become popular among individuals of all age groups.
Thriving Competitive Landscape
The US gaming ecosystem is dynamic and competitive, led by juggernauts like:
- Microsoft
- Activision Blizzard
- Electronic Arts
- Take-Two Interactive Software
- Zynga
These companies actively engage in mergers, acquisitions, and new game releases.
For example,
- Electronic Arts acquired Glu Mobile for $2.1 billion to grow its mobile portfolio
- Take-Two completed a $12.7 billion merger with FarmVille-maker Zynga
- Tencent is also building capabilities locally to target US gamers through acquisitions, new studio launches
The Outlook
In summary, the US gaming industry is poised for tremendous growth in the next 5 years, driven by trends like mobile and cloud gaming.
With new 5G networks rolling out, innovative technologies like AR/VR emerging, and strategic mergers happening, it’s an exciting time for gaming companies and consumers alike.
The future looks bright for this booming, multi-billion-dollar industry.
Reference: Mordorintelligence