Gitnux/Report 2026

Marketing In The Gaming Industry Statistics

With 3.3 billion people expected to play video games in 2025 and mobile already accounting for 73.1% of global gamers, the biggest marketing leverage is also where measurement is getting harder, as third party cookie phase out plans and Apple’s ATT continue to reshape targeting and attribution. This page connects the spend and engagement signals such as $153.8 billion in mobile IAP revenue and 53.0 billion live streaming hours watched with the practical ad economics like YouTube CPMs and ASO gains.
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Marketing In The Gaming Industry Statistics
Felix ZimmermannWritten by Felix Zimmermann·Edited by David Kowalski·Fact-checked by Abigail Foster
Last verified Jun 24, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Verify

Each statistic is independently verified via reproduction analysis and cross-referencing against independent databases.

03Grade

Figures are graded by cross-model consensus. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited.

04Cite

Every figure carries a primary source. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates so the report can be cited.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Next review Dec 2026
Gaming reach is still scaling. An expected 3.3 billion people will play video games in 2025, and mobile will account for 2.3 billion of those players. Live streaming also shows the direction of engagement, with 53.0 billion hours watched worldwide in 2023.

Key Takeaways

  • 51% of gamers worldwide were male in 2024 (vs. 49% female)
  • 27.6% of gamers worldwide are in the 18–24 age bracket (2024)
  • Video game live streaming reached 53.0 billion hours watched worldwide in 2023
  • PC games generated an estimated $41.9 billion in revenue in 2023
  • Video game consumers spend $100–$200 per year on average in the US, per a survey summarized by Statista
  • $59.7 billion in revenue for the US digital games market in 2023
  • 38% of mobile game installs originate from social networks (2024 estimate)
  • 48% of global gamers spent money on video games in 2023
  • 2.7 billion people worldwide played video games in 2023
  • Average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) for gaming video ads on YouTube in the US was $6.45 in 2024
  • App store optimization (ASO) can increase conversion rates by 25% with ongoing iteration (2023 study)
  • Marketing automation adoption among digital businesses reached 44% in 2024 (Gartner, 2024)

With 2.7 billion gamers worldwide and mobile dominating reach, marketers must use smarter targeting amid privacy changes.

Related reading

02 · Category

Market Size6 stats

01
PC games generated an estimated $41.9 billion in revenue in 2023
02
Video game consumers spend $100–$200 per year on average in the US, per a survey summarized by Statista
03
$59.7 billion in revenue for the US digital games market in 2023
04
Console games account for 30% of total global games revenue (2023)
05
$36.2 billion in cloud gaming market revenue forecast for 2025
06
$153.8 billion in mobile game in-app purchase revenue globally in 2024
Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

For the Market Size category, gaming is clearly expanding across major segments, with US digital games reaching $59.7 billion in 2023 and mobile in-app purchases projected to top $153.8 billion globally in 2024.

More related reading

03 · Category

User Adoption7 stats

01
38% of mobile game installs originate from social networks (2024 estimate)
02
48% of global gamers spent money on video games in 2023
03
2.7 billion people worldwide played video games in 2023
04
3.3 billion people worldwide are expected to play video games in 2025
05
1.9 billion people worldwide are expected to play mobile games in 2025
06
73.1% of global gamers play on mobile at least occasionally (2024)
07
2.3 billion monthly active users (MAUs) in mobile gaming across 2024
Interpretation

User Adoption Interpretation

User adoption is being driven by mass mobile reach and social discovery, with 1.9 billion people expected to play mobile games in 2025 and 38% of mobile installs already coming from social networks.

04 · Category

Cost Analysis3 stats

01
Average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) for gaming video ads on YouTube in the US was $6.45in 2024
02
App store optimization (ASO) can increase conversion rates by 25% with ongoing iteration (2023 study)
03
Marketing automation adoption among digital businesses reached 44% in 2024 (Gartner, 2024)
Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

In the cost analysis of gaming marketing, YouTube CPM averaged $6.45 in the US in 2024 while ASO can lift conversion rates by 25% through ongoing iteration and marketing automation adoption reached 44%, showing that improving conversion and efficiency is key to lowering effective acquisition costs.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Marketing In The Gaming Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-gaming-industry-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Marketing In The Gaming Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-gaming-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Marketing In The Gaming Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-gaming-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

22 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level

statista.combusinessofapps.comnewzoo.comaa.com.trmpaa.orgidc.comdata.aiesportsinsider.comprivacysandbox.comdeveloper.apple.comthinkwithgoogle.comapptentive.comgartner.com

+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)