Research firm reports significant growth in PC games market compared to console games market last year

In 2023, the gaming industry experienced a significant recovery, with the PC platform leading the way in revenue growth. According to market researchers at Newzoo, PC game sales, microtransactions, and subscriptions saw an impressive 8.4% increase in revenue compared to 2022. In contrast, console game revenues only grew by 0.3%, and mobile game revenues actually shrank by 2.1%.

While the console and mobile game markets are still larger overall, with total revenues of $52.4 billion and $89.9 billion respectively, the gap between them and the PC market is closing. This trend reflects the mainstream popularity of PC gaming, with major titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 launching on PC first and console exclusivity becoming less of a concern for gamers.

Newzoo attributes the PC’s growth to multiplatform publishers embracing the platform, as well as the success of companies like Valve, Epic Games, and miHoYo. The firm also notes that successful cross-platform strategies have benefited the PC market, with more than half of Helldivers 2 sales coming from PC.

Despite the positive growth in gaming revenue in 2023, Newzoo warns that “playtime hours have dropped precipitously” and that a large portion of new game revenue was generated by a small number of titles. The industry’s recovery from previous slumps is evident, but challenges remain, such as ongoing layoffs at major gaming companies. Overall, 2023 was a year of recovery for the gaming industry, with the PC platform leading the way in revenue growth and mainstream acceptance.