I’m sure that none of you will be surprised to hear that gaming is bigger than ever. In fact, the value of the gaming sector in 2026 is estimated to reach more than $320bn by the year 2026, and is already bigger than Hollywood and the music industry combined.
But what’s contributed to gaming’s unbelievable financial success? In this article, we will discuss the historical influences that have played a part in cementing gaming’s position as the big dog of modern media consumption.
Time to grow up
Perhaps the most visible difference to take hold in the world of gaming is the subject matter of games themselves, and whilst a very small minority of titles in gaming’s early history boasted adult themes, the vast majority were designed to engage a younger age group.
But it’s the opposite that is true today. The biggest franchises and most successful titles are heavily weighted towards a more mature demographic, inlcuding cinematic-level production in the recent Final Fantasy remake, or Hollywood level gore in the latest Zombie slasher.
The upshot of this for gaming has been more spend per player, which has helped to underpin massive growth throughout the sector, all while retaining the fandom of younger aficionados,and others who previously made up the majority of the audience.
Pop culture domination
For many years, games were games. What we mean by that is, they lived purely in consoles or arcade machines, and rarely transcended that world. Today, that couldn’t be more different, with practically every media and entertainment sector taking cues from gaming.
Several Hollywood hits in recent years have been built around classic games, with the Sonic franchise spawning a box office smash and a sequel, and more abstract titles like Pixels taking obvious influence from gaming, and actively seeking to engage lifelong fans of the sector.
On the smaller screen, games like The Last of Us have made the leap to becoming a TV show, garnering critical anticipation and expected to nurture a mature audience of streaming aficionados.
Other sectors, and in particular those on mobile, have also borrowed heavily from the cultural identity of games to better resonate with players. This includes the broad mobile gaming marketplace, with microtransactions and so-called ‘freemium’ games becoming huge earners.
Related sectors that have found a home on mobile, such as gambling, have also built bridges with traditional video gaming, with many leading providers showcasing gaming themes in their offerings. For example, Bodog’s online casino games selection includes Hockey Enforcers, which could pass as a title on the Nintendo Switch at first glance, while titles like Wolf Saga and Jurassic Kingdom would perhaps better befit your typical RPG.
Additionally, themes and aesthetics popularized in gaming have served as the inspiration for staple casino titles. The ancient ruins featured in Tomb Raider can be found in guises not too dissimilar online, while space, military and mythology are also themes that transcend both spheres.
It’s clear that everywhere you look, gaming has a growing and extremely visible presence.
What does the future hold for gaming? Well, as we have seen, the projections to a massively positive future and, it seems likely that with the growing influence of VR and AR, which are also a natural fit for the future of casino gaming, and accessible tech such as more affordable smartphones, that momentum will continue to gather.
Long may gaming’s dominance of the entertainment landscape continue.
