Firm’s report also found that focused games are more likely to find commercial success than safe, generic ones<\/p>\n
Image credit: Mohamed Albasyouni via Unsplash <\/p>\n
Global gaming software revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 3% over the past four years and is expected to continue at this pace for the next four years. But two-thirds of players prefer familiar games or sequels, and only one in five seek new titles.<\/p>\n
This is according to Bain & Company’s annual Gaming Report, which surveyed over 5,300 players worldwide.<\/p>\n
Respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the “unfocused middle,” referring to games that are too generic, safe, and shallow to stand out. To illustrate this, Bain & Co compared the receptions of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Concord.<\/p>\n
Baldur’s Gate 3 attracted players by targeting “a highly specific target audience,” while Concord entered “a crowded hero-shooter market and had trouble convincing players already invested in free-to-play games to make the $40 purchase.”<\/p>\n
Bain & Co analysed public data on 100 titles released since 2023 and found that 83% of focused games targeting a specific player type achieved commercial success, compared to 50% of unfocused titles.<\/p>\n