GTA 6 helps drive video game industry towards record $214bn revenue in 2026

The global video game industry is expected to generate $213.9 billion in revenue in 2026, with Grand Theft Auto VI emerging as one of the biggest forces behind the market's growth.

According to Newzoo's Global Games Market Report 2026, the worldwide games market is forecast to increase 6.1% year over year. The research firm expects growth across mobile, console and PC gaming, with the November arrival of Grand Theft Auto VI providing a major boost to console spending.

Rockstar Games currently lists Grand Theft Auto VI for release on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game follows Jason and Lucia as they become caught in a criminal conspiracy across the fictional state of Leonida, with Vice City serving as a major setting.

Newzoo estimates that console revenue will reach $46.9 billion this year, representing growth of 5.1%. The firm specifically identifies Grand Theft Auto VI as an important factor in that increase and forecasts that full game spending on console will rise 17.5%, the strongest growth among the business models examined in its 2026 forecast.

The expected impact of Rockstar's highly anticipated title is particularly significant because the console market has faced pressure from changing player habits and uneven performance across major platforms. Newzoo says PlayStation is leading renewed growth in console players, while declining sales of Nintendo's original Switch are offsetting much of the increase created by the expanding Switch 2 player base.

Without Grand Theft Auto VI, Newzoo expects console revenue to decline year over year, highlighting the unusual importance attached to Rockstar's next major release. The game has already become a major focus for the industry months before launch, with Newzoo reporting strong pre order interest.

Mobile gaming will remain the largest part of the global market. Newzoo forecasts mobile revenue of $121.1 billion in 2026, representing 6.8% growth. PC gaming is expected to reach $45.9 billion, with revenue increasing 5.3%. Together, the figures show that the industry's expansion is not dependent on one platform, even though Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to have an outsized effect on console performance.

The report also estimates that the worldwide gaming audience will reach 3.7 billion players in 2026, an increase of 4.4% from the previous year. Newzoo says the market is becoming increasingly mature, meaning sustained engagement with established games is becoming increasingly important to overall revenue.

That trend is reflected by Grand Theft Auto V, which remains among the industry's top titles 13 years after its original release. Its continuing popularity provides an indication of the commercial expectations surrounding its successor, particularly after years of anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI.

Newzoo also identifies rising memory and component costs as a potential challenge for PC gaming. Memory prices have increased sharply since January 2025, creating additional pressure on hardware costs and potentially affecting the PC market.

With Grand Theft Auto VI now scheduled for November 19, the final months of 2026 could become especially important for the games industry.