A recent survey conducted by Aream & Co., a leading investment bank specializing in the gaming sector, provides insights into the expectations of gaming company executives for 2025. The survey, which polled 50 industry leaders in December 2024, reveals a generally optimistic outlook for the year ahead, despite lingering challenges within the market.

Gaming Industry Trends for 2025: Insights from Aream & Co

Market Growth

The survey shows a positive sentiment regarding consumer spending on games in 2025. Nearly half (49%) of the respondents believe that spending will increase, while another 49% expect spending levels to remain consistent. Only 2% of respondents expressed concerns about a potential decline in consumer spending.

Among gaming platforms, the mobile segment holds the most promising growth prospects, with 41% of executives anticipating an increase in in-app purchases (IAP) and 31% predicting growth in advertising revenue. The PC segment follows, with 33% expecting growth, while the console market is seen as relatively static, with 70% predicting no growth and 15% forecasting either an increase or a decline. Notably, the PC platform segment has the least negative outlook among the three.

Market Outlook

Challenges in the Gaming Industry

Despite the positive market sentiment, the survey highlights several challenges that gaming companies face. The most cited issues include:

• Oversaturation of content (33%)
• Difficulties in audience acquisition (31%)
• Macroeconomic uncertainties and consumer demand (17%)
• Rising development costs (12%)

Smaller percentages of respondents pointed to regulatory changes (5%) and a lack of innovation (2%) as obstacles.

Challenges and Concerns for 2025

Budgeting, Marketing, and Hiring

A majority of executives (54%) plan to develop more games in 2025 than in 2024, while 35% intend to maintain their current production levels. Only 12% plan to scale back game development.

When it comes to budgeting, 37% of companies plan to increase their spending on new projects, while 49% will maintain their current budgets. Marketing investment is also a key focus, with 48% planning to increase marketing spending, 41% maintaining current levels, and 12% opting for reductions.

Hiring trends for 2025 reflect a focus on technical and operational expertise. Game developers (71%) and engineers (42%) are the most sought-after roles, followed by specialists in Live Ops and community management (32%), and marketing and user acquisition (24%).

Hiring Trends for 2025

AI Integration in Game Development

AI technology is gradually gaining traction in the gaming industry. Among respondents, 21% reported using AI across multiple teams, while 63% apply it sparingly. The remaining 16% are either in the testing phase or have yet to adopt AI. The primary applications of AI in gaming include:

• Creating art and game design documents (35%)
• Writing code (21%)
• Enhancing marketing efforts (19%)
• Supporting analytics (14%)
• Streamlining QA processes (9%)
• Improving user support (2%)

AI Adoption Trends

Investment Opportunities

The gaming industry is poised for an active mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market in 2025. A significant 71% of executives anticipate increased M&A opportunities, while the remaining 29% believe the market will stay the same. None of the respondents expect fewer opportunities.

Aream & Co. has played a pivotal role in shaping the gaming industry's financial landscape, advising on high-profile deals such as the $2 billion sale of Superplay, the $1.2 billion sale of Easybrain, and the $620 million sale of Plarium. These accomplishments underscore the firm's reputation as the leading investment bank for the gaming sector.

Investment Opportunities

Final Thoughts

Aream & Co.'s survey paints a promising picture for the gaming industry in 2025, driven by optimism around consumer spending, opportunities for growth in mobile and PC gaming, and the continued adoption of AI technologies. However, industry leaders remain mindful of challenges such as oversaturation of content and rising development costs. With increased focus on development, marketing, and M&A opportunities, the year ahead holds significant potential for innovation and expansion in the gaming world.

Source: Aream & Co.