- Primary Subject: Video Game Industry market shift
- Key Update: New research suggests PC gaming revenue could surpass consoles within a few years
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: March 13, 2026
- Quick Answer: According to a new report from Newzoo, PC gaming revenue may surpass console software revenue by around 2028 if current growth trends continue.
The long-running rivalry between PC gaming and console gaming may be entering a new phase.
For years, consoles have generally led the market in software revenue, while PC gaming remained slightly behind despite its massive player base.
However, new research suggests that this balance may soon shift. Market research firm Newzoo’s latest PC and Console report indicates that PC gaming is once again growing faster than the console market as the industry rebounds from the post-pandemic slowdown that followed the early-2020s gaming surge.
If the current trajectory holds, PC gaming revenue may overtake console software revenue within the next few years.
What Does the New Industry Report Say?
Data from Newzoo indicates that PC gaming surpassed consoles in growth during 2025 and could continue pulling ahead, with PC revenue projected to grow around 6.6 percent annually through 2028 compared with roughly 4.4 percent for consoles.
According to these projections, PC revenue may surpass console revenue by around 2028. This projection relies on data collected from digital storefronts, player activity, and various sales indicators across both PC and console platforms, offering a broad picture of how the industry is changing.
One of the biggest factors driving PC gaming’s expansion is the continued growth of its global player base. In particular, markets in Asia are contributing heavily to this increase.
China, for example, saw significant growth in its PC gaming population in 2025, with millions of new players entering the ecosystem. Younger audiences are also shifting toward PC platforms in greater numbers.
According to the report, players from Generation Z and Generation Alpha are increasingly choosing PC gaming, which is helping the platform expand faster than traditional console markets.
If these trends continue, the global PC player base could surpass one billion people by 2028.
Are PC Versions of Popular Games Already Larger?
The popularity of major multiplayer games also highlights PC gaming’s growth, as many of these titles now attract more players on PC than on individual consoles.
Titles such as Minecraft often see noticeably higher player counts on PC than on PlayStation or Xbox, underscoring the scale of the PC audience for certain cross-platform releases.
Other multiplayer games have shown similar trends, indicating that PC gaming’s growth is backed by strong player activity.
At the same time, the industry’s competitive landscape may also be shifting because of potential new hardware concepts that blur the line between PCs and consoles.
One idea gaining attention is the possibility of a console-like device that runs PC games through platforms such as Steam.
Some developers believe that if companies like Valve release hardware that offers the convenience of a console while still giving players access to the massive PC game library, it could create a new hybrid category of gaming devices.
Such hardware could provide the simplicity and affordability associated with consoles while retaining the flexibility and variety that define PC gaming.
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