Close Menu
    [OC] Why PC and Console gamers feel the shift: The $108B Mobile MTX market vs. the $197B Global Industry (2005-2025)
    Data

    [OC] Why PC and Console gamers feel the shift: The $108B Mobile MTX market vs. the $197B Global Industry (2005-2025)

    Share.
    View 8 Comments

    8 Comments

    1. Ok-Astronaut4817 on

      [OC] Data Sources & Methodology

      Following the feedback on my previous post, I’ve broken down the $197B global revenue by platform to show the distinct “DNA” of Mobile, PC, and Console gaming.

      Data Sources: Synthesized and aggregated revenue data from Newzoo Global Games Market Reports (2012-2025), MIDiA Research, and Statista.

      Latest Update: The $197B figure and the $108B mobile total reflect the revised December 2025 forecasts.

      Growth Trends: PC segment growth of 10.4% YoY in 2025 is a key driver for this year’s record totals.

      Definitions:

      Full Game Sales (Premium): Revenue from physical and digital one-time purchases (e.g., $70 AAA titles, Indie games).

      In-Game Purchases (MTX/DLC): Revenue from microtransactions, skins, loot boxes, and downloadable content.

      Subscriptions: Revenue from multi-game services like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, and MMO subscriptions.

      Tools: Visualization performed using Python with pandas for data manipulation and matplotlib for the layout. I used scipy (specifically interp1d and spline interpolation) to ensure historical revenue transitions between 2005 and 2025 accurately reflect industry milestones while maintaining a clean aesthetic.

    3. xanas263 on

      Are battle passes considered subscriptions or MTX in this data? While not required to play a game they are structured like a subscription and some mobile games consider their Battle pass systems to be subscriptions from what I’ve seen.

    4. Peterrior55 on

      I don’t really feel any shift, from what I’ve heard mobile gaming is really popular in China but to me it doesn’t feel like it’s progressed much in recent years because of the fundamental problem that playing anything on your phone sucks unless you’re sitting in the subway and have no other choice.

    5. akurgo on

      I’ve spent my gaming money about 98% on full game sales, and I’m currently trying to convince my son it gives the best value for money, as opposee to Fortnite skins!

    6. edparadox on

      > Why PC and Console gamers feel the shift

      What shift exactly are we supposed to be feeling?

      I am sure Indians and Chinese see way more mobile gaming than me and my neck of the woods.

    7. Auspectress on

      I am concerned with subscriptions. As much as in game purchases like skins, lootboxes are already half illegal due to often gambling mechanics, subcriptions never give you anything. It is literally “you will own nothing and be happy”

    8. Confused-Raccoon on

      Its charts like this that make CEO’s and suits around a big oak table think subscriptions are good things. Put it away.