Newzoo forecasts that global PC games software and services revenue will surpass console revenue by 2028. Its 2026 PC & Console Gaming Report projects PC revenue to grow at a 6.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2025 to 2028, versus 4.4% for console revenue. This is a forecast, not an outcome that has already happened—and it compares spending on games, not sales of PCs or consoles.
What Newzoo forecasts for PC and console revenue
Newzoo’s 2026 PC & Console Gaming Report projects that PC games revenue will grow faster than console games revenue over 2025–2028, putting PC ahead by 2028. The report forecasts a 6.6% CAGR for PC and 4.4% for consoles. CAGR describes the average annual rate of growth across the period; it is not a claim that revenue will rise by exactly that percentage each year.
Newzoo estimates the combined global PC and console games market generated $88.3 billion in 2025 and forecasts it will reach $103.7 billion in 2028. Those are Newzoo figures, with 2025 presented as an estimate and 2028 as a projection—not final audited totals.
What counts as “gaming revenue” in this comparison
The headline can sound like a comparison of PC and console hardware markets, but hardware is excluded. Newzoo measures nominal consumer spending on games software and services, globally. Its definition includes boxed and digital full-game purchases, in-game spending such as microtransactions and downloadable content, in-game subscriptions, and console multi-game subscriptions including Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus.
#1 Best Overall
- Fearless ROG Design – The G700’s dual-glass chassis showcases iconic ROG design with the ROG Slash and Aura Sync RGB lighting. Its 58L capacity supports triple-slot GPUs.
- Unstoppable Power – Equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD PCIe 4.0 storage for seamless gaming and multitasking.
- Optimized Thermals – Stay cool with a quad-fan system, while dust filters and efficient airflow ensure long-term reliability.
- Advanced Connectivity – Game without lag with 2.5Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, and versatile ports. Dolby Atmos audio and AI noise cancellation enhance sound and communication.
- Ready for Upgrades – Designed with tool-less access, easily swap out components, ensuring future-proof performance for years to come.
The measure excludes taxes, second-hand sales, advertising, hardware, business-to-business services, and gambling. Newzoo’s PC category covers games played through storefronts such as Steam and Epic Games Store, physically purchased games, browser games, casual sites, social networks, Steam Deck, and other PC handhelds. Console covers games played on PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo hardware. The figures are nominal rather than adjusted for inflation.
Why Newzoo expects PC revenue to grow faster
Newzoo links its PC projection to an expanding player base, growth in Eastern Asia, wider storefront adoption, higher average selling prices, and premium game spending. It also forecasts growth in console revenue and players, but at a slower pace, supported by premium releases, hardware cycles, and higher premium or subscription pricing. These are the report’s explanations for its outlook, not proof that any one factor causes the projected difference.
Rank #2
- System: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 3.6GHz 6 Cores | AMD B550 Chipset | 8GB DDR4 | 500GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | Windows 11 Home
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT 4GB Graphics | 1x HDMI | 1x DisplayPort
- Connectivity: 4 x USB-A 3.2 | 4 x USB-A 2.0 | 1 x LAN | WiFi 5 | Bluetooth 5.0 | 7.1 Channel Audio
- Tempered Side Case Panel | Custom RGB Lighting | Keyboard and Mouse
- 1 Year Parts & Labor Warranty, Free Lifetime Tech Support
Player counts offer context, but not a direct revenue comparison. Newzoo forecasts more than 1 billion PC players globally by 2028 and reports that China’s PC player count grew 11.7% year over year in 2025. Its player totals are not deduplicated across platforms, so someone who plays on both PC and console may be counted in both platform groups.
How PC and console spending differ
The revenue mix helps explain why faster PC growth does not mean PC players spend only on full-price games. Newzoo estimates that microtransactions generated 48% of PC revenue in 2025 ($20.6 billion), while premium game sales accounted for 29% ($12.5 billion). For consoles, it estimates that premium games made up about half of 2025 revenue.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Rank #3
- 8-Core 16-Thread Processing Power – Powered by the Ryzen 7 4700LE processor with Zen 2 architecture, delivering 8 cores and 16 threads with a boost clock up to 4.2GHz. Effortlessly handle multitasking, streaming, content creation, and demanding applications simultaneously without slowdowns.
- GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Graphics – Equipped with 8GB GDDR6 dedicated VRAM and real-time ray tracing support. Experience smooth 1080p gaming at 55-60 FPS in AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077, 70+ FPS in Fortnite, and 90-100 FPS in Apex Legends with DLSS enabled. The 8GB buffer handles modern game textures comfortably – a step above 6GB variants
- High-Speed Memory & Storage – Paired with 16GB of DDR4 3200MHz dual-channel RAM (16GB), the PC ensures responsive multitasking—whether streaming while gaming or editing videos. It also includes a 512 GB NVMe M.2 SSD for lightning-fast boot times, quick game loads, and ample storage for your game library, creative projects, and files.
- Next-Gen WiFi 6 Connectivity – Stay connected with the latest WiFi 6 technology for faster speeds, lower latency, and improved network efficiency. Whether you're gaming online, streaming 4K content, or joining video conferences, enjoy stable, high-speed wireless connectivity.
- Ready-to-Use Value Desktop – Pre-built and ready to go right out of the box. Perfect for gamers, students, content creators, and home office users seeking reliable performance without the hassle of building a PC themselves. The mature AM4 platform with DDR4 memory offers excellent value and proven stability.
In Newzoo’s account, PC growth combines player-scale expansion with spending through several channels, including in-game purchases and premium games. Console revenue is more premium-led and remains exposed to release timing and platform cycles. Neither mix guarantees the future growth rate; they describe the market as the report estimates it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What could change the forecast
A forecast depends on assumptions about player growth, spending, releases, and market conditions. PC Gamer noted that memory and storage supply pressures could affect the outlook. That is a potential source of uncertainty, not evidence that Newzoo’s projection has already failed. Actual revenue through 2028 could differ as conditions change.
Rank #4
- POWERHOUSE 8-CORE GAMING PERFORMANCE — Driven by the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F with 8 cores and 16 threads, boosting up to 5.0 GHz for smooth, responsive gameplay and the ability to handle AAA titles, streaming, and background tasks all at once
- NEXT-GEN BLACKWELL ARCHITECTURE — The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is powered by NVIDIA's cutting-edge Blackwell GPU architecture, delivering a massive generational leap in rasterization and ray tracing performance so you can experience your games the way they were meant to be played.
- Simplistic Design: Enjoy the latest generation of Windows 11 Home for your everyday needs. *MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business use.
- Cool While Gaming: In conjunction with an ARGB fan Air Cooler, the Codex R2 features four system cooling fans; three in the front and one in the rear to pull in cool air and push heat out of the PC.
- Turn on the Bright Lights: With the built-in RGB lighting, take your gaming experience to the next level by pressing the MSI LED button to cycle through lighting options. Customize lighting even further with MSI Center software.
The central qualification is scope: Newzoo predicts PC will pass consoles in global games software and services revenue, not in hardware sales or every measure of gaming activity. Its forecast is useful for understanding the direction it expects the market to take, but it should not be read as a settled result.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- POWERED BY RTX 5070 12GB + RYZEN 7 9700X - The GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7 graphics card pairs with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 9700X processor to drive smooth 1440p and 4K gameplay, giving this gaming PC the headroom for modern titles, streaming, and creative work.
- 32GB DDR5 6000MHz MEMORY & 1TB NVMe SSD - 32GB of high-speed DDR5 memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid state drive deliver quick load times, smooth multitasking, and generous storage, keeping this prebuilt gaming desktop responsive under heavy workloads.
- BUILT-IN 11.3-INCH Smart DISPLAY - An integrated smart screen shows real-time CPU and GPU temperatures, usage, and weather while you play, adding a distinctive and functional touch to your battlestation.
- 850W 80+ GOLD POWER SUPPLY, 360MM LIQUID COOLING & WiFi 7 - An 850W 80 Plus Gold certified power supply provides stable, efficient power with headroom for future upgrades, while a 360mm AIO liquid cooler, WiFi 7, and an ARGB mid-tower case keep the Ryzen 7 CPU cool and connected in a clean build.
- READY TO PLAY OUT OF THE BOX - Arrives fully assembled and tested with Windows 11 Home pre-installed, so your prebuilt gaming computer is ready to set up in minutes. Assembled in the USA, and backed by a one-year limited warranty and lifetime free technical support.
Sources
- Newzoo, “Post-pandemic growth returns for PC and console, driven by premium spending and changing price dynamics,” March 12, 2026.
- Newzoo, 2026 PC & Console Gaming Report (report copy hosted by InvestGame; underlying Games Market Reports & Forecasts updated February 2026).
- PC Gamer, “PC games revenue will outgrow consoles by 2028, analyst predicts,” March 12, 2026.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →
