May 3, 2021 (Global News Distribution) -
The global digital video games industry continues growing at a rapid pace, with no signs of slowing down in the years to come.
According to data presented by 123scommese.it, the entire market is expected to generate nearly $146b in revenue in 2021, a 40% increase in two years.
Mobile Games Revenues Jumped by 44% Since 2019, Entire Industry to Hit $151B Value by 2025
Unlike many other sectors drastically affected by the COVID-19 crisis, the video game industry has been far more resilient to the pandemic. Most video game developers and publishers witnessed a record number of users and downloads last year as millions of people turned to video games amid the lockdown.
In 2019, the digital gaming industry generated $104.4bn in revenue, revealed the Statista survey. After the pandemic struck, revenues surged by 23% YoY to $128.3bn in 2020. Statistics show this figure is expected to increase by $17.6bn in 2021, and by 2025, the unified market is set to reach $207.6bn value.
As the largest revenue stream of the digital video games industry, mobile games witnessed the most significant growth in the last two years. In 2021, mobile gaming revenues are expected to hit nearly $104bn, 44% more than in 2019. By 2025, the entire market is forecast to grow by another 45% and reach a $151.8bn value.
Online gaming has seen record numbers of players during the pandemic as a popular activity to counter physical distancing amid lockdowns. Statistics show online gaming revenues grew by 36% in two years, rising from $16.8bn in 2019 to $22.9bn in 2021. In the next four years, this figure is projected to hit $30.3bn.
Download games are expected to generate $16.1bn in revenue this year, compared to $13.2bn before the pandemic. Gaming networks follow with a 43% increase in two years and $2.9bn in revenue in 2021.
435 Million People Started Playing Digital Video Games Amid Pandemic
The Statista survey also revealed that more than 435 million people started playing digital video games since the pandemic struck. In 2019, the number of users worldwide amounted to 1.7 billion. Last year, this figure jumped over two billion. Statistics indicate the number of users is set to reach 2.15 billion in 2021 and continue rising to over 2.5 billion by 2025.
As the world`s largest digital video games industry, China is expected to generate $49.1bn in revenue in 2021, a 46% increase in two years. By 2025, the Chinese market is forecast to hit $71bn value.
The United States follows with $30.3bn in revenue this year, compared to $23bn in 2019. By 2025, the US mobile games, download games, online games, and gaming networks markets are forecast to reach $42.4bn value.
As the third-largest digital video games market, Japan is expected to generate $18.2bn in revenue this year. South Korea and the United Kingdom follow, with $6.15bn and $6.14bn, respectively.