The games industry could be worth up to US$179 billion in 5 years

The video-game industry may be worth just under US$200 billion in 5 years. These findings have been published in a new report by ResearchandMarkets. This group studied all content that could be termed a "video game" on the applicable platforms - including mobile devices, PCs and consoles, in addition to emerging solutions such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

Of these, smartphone games were found to represent the biggest sector of this market. It is also thought to see the greatest growth until 2024, based on the rise of titles such as PUBG Mobile, War Robots, and Battlelands Royale. This is influenced by the increasing uptake of smartphone game consumption in developing nations. Then again, emerging trends such as heads-up and head-mounted displays are thought to have the potential for "a direct impact" on where the overall market is going.

However, in terms of game category, 'shooters' are thought to be the most prominent sector. This is due to its appeal to all ages and improved graphics that deliver increasingly convincing in-game experiences. In addition, the biggest brands in this market remain to be Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, EA, Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, and Tencent Games.