PC Gaming Revenue Could Overtake Consoles by 2028, New Report Says

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A new industry report suggests the balance of power in gaming may soon shift. According to market research firm Newzoo, PC gaming revenue is projected to surpass console revenue by 2028, highlighting the steady expansion of the PC market worldwide.

The report estimates that PC revenue will grow at a 6.6% compound annual growth rate between 2025 and 2028, compared to 4.4% growth for consoles. Speaking during the GDC Festival of Gaming, Newzoo’s director of consulting Ben Porter explained that PC growth tends to be gradual but consistent, unlike consoles, which often depend on hardware cycles and major releases.

Overall, the combined PC and console gaming market is expected to reach $103.7 billion by 2028. The sector already showed signs of recovery in 2025, growing 7% year-over-year to $88.3 billion, with forecasts predicting $94.3 billion in 2026. According to Newzoo, this marks the first significant expansion since the slowdown that followed the pandemic.

One of the biggest drivers behind PC growth is premium game sales. These accounted for 29% of PC revenue and increased by nearly 12% in 2025, with success across AAA, AA, and indie releases. Engagement with titles outside the top 20 games has also grown significantly, suggesting a broader range of games are attracting players.

Newzoo expects more than one billion PC players by 2028, with much of that growth coming from East Asia. While China continues to be a major contributor, markets like Japan and South Korea are increasingly important. In particular, Japan, traditionally dominated by mobile and console gaming, has seen rising adoption of PC platforms such as Steam.

Consoles remain strong, but their success still depends heavily on blockbuster releases and hardware generations. Premium games made up about half of console revenue in 2025, and most of that spending came from titles priced above $50. Meanwhile, microtransaction revenue declined slightly, reflecting pressure on some live-service games, while subscription services saw modest growth driven largely by price increases.

Newzoo noted that pricing trends are shifting across both platforms. The $30 to $50 range is becoming a “sweet spot” for premium games, while the sub-$30 category is growing rapidly on PC. In fact, new PC releases priced under $30 saw 156% growth in 2025, demonstrating the platform’s flexibility in pricing strategies.

Subscription services are also shaping the console market since services like Xbox Game Pass can influence sales charts by allowing players to try new games without purchasing them outright, which can make raw sales numbers appear lower compared to PC.