--- title: "3.58 billion players: the 2025 games market in five numbers" url: https://ascendesport.ae/global-games-market-2025-numbers/ description: "Gaming is now played by more than 60% of people online. Five figures from Newzoo that explain where the industry is, and why the Middle East is the region to…" last_modified: 2026-11-09T17:07:02+04:00 site: "Ascend Esports" summary_for_agents: https://ascendesport.ae/llms.txt ---[Esports & Game News](https://ascendesport.ae/category/esports-game-news/)# 3.58 billion players: the 2025 games market in five numbersGaming is now played by more than 60% of people online. Five figures from Newzoo that explain where the industry is, and why the Middle East is the region to watch.![](https://ascendesport.ae/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/hammer.png) **Ascend Esports team** 18 February 2026 · 2 min readShare [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=3.58%20billion%20players%3A%20the%202025%20games%20market%20in%20five%20numbers%20https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F) [X](https://x.com/intent/post?text=3.58%20billion%20players%3A%20the%202025%20games%20market%20in%20five%20numbers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F)![A wireless game controller lit by colourful light](https://ascendesport.ae/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/global-games-market-2025-numbers.jpg)A wireless game controller lit by colourful lightMarket analysts Newzoo publish a yearly snapshot of the games industry. Their 2025 numbers show how central gaming has become, and why our region is getting so much attention.## 1. $188.8 billionThat's the projected size of the global games market in 2025, up 3.4% on the year before.## 2. 3.58 billion playersThe global player base was expected to reach 3.58 billion people in 2025, more than 60% of the online population. Gaming isn't a niche hobby; for many families it's a shared language.## 3. 83% on mobileAbout 3 billion people play on mobile, compared with 936 million on PC and 645 million on console (many play on more than one). Mobile also brings in the most money, around $103 billion.## 4. $7.1 billion in MENANewzoo put the Middle East and North Africa market at $7.1 billion, and described the Middle East and Africa as the **fastest-growing regions**, at 6.8% a year.## 5. 30,000 jobsNot a Newzoo figure, but the local one that matters: the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 aims to create 30,000 jobs in the sector. Read more in our piece on [careers in gaming in the UAE](https://ascendesport.ae/careers-in-gaming-uae/).## What we take from itWith this many players, the question for families is no longer whether children will game, but **how**: with balance, safety and a sense of purpose. That's the whole idea behind Ascend's wellness-first coaching.## Sources- [Newzoo: global games market set to hit $188.8bn in 2025, PocketGamer.biz](https://www.pocketgamer.biz/newzoo-global-games-market-set-to-hit-1888bn-in-2025)![](https://ascendesport.ae/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/hammer.png)Written by the Ascend Esports teamCoaches, game builders and wellness specialists at Ascend Esports, the esports division of Ascend Innovations in Mirdif, Dubai. Questions about this article? [Ask Ascenzo](https://ascendesport.ae/global-games-market-2025-numbers/#chat).Share [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=3.58%20billion%20players%3A%20the%202025%20games%20market%20in%20five%20numbers%20https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F) [X](https://x.com/intent/post?text=3.58%20billion%20players%3A%20the%202025%20games%20market%20in%20five%20numbers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fascendesport.ae%2Fglobal-games-market-2025-numbers%2F)## Keep reading[All insights](https://ascendesport.ae/insights/)[Esports & Game News](https://ascendesport.ae/category/esports-game-news/)### [The Esports Nations Cup is on: a quick guide for families following along](https://ascendesport.ae/esports-nations-cup-2026-guide/)National teams, 16 games and a month of matches in Riyadh. 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