IGN Entertainment has launched Gaming Trends, a data-driven insights platform that utilizes its vast reach to predict the future direction of gaming and entertainment. With 500 million monthly visitors across 110 countries, IGN's leadership has analyzed what this data reveals – shedding light on key trends shaping the industry.

Mobile Marketing Reigns Supreme

Mobile gaming is king, with preference for mobile growing among both Gen Alpha and Millennials. According to IGN's segmentation study, 93% of Gen Alpha prefer playing on mobile, while 32% of Millennials call it their preferred device. This trend is likely driven by the immense popularity of games like Fortnite and Roblox.

UGC Growth and Nostalgia

Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) has resulted in almost 200,000 games being made by creators within the Fortnite ecosystem. However, this figure is dwarfed by the numbers in Roblox, which is home to around 40 million user-made experiences. Daily concurrent user numbers have grown in Roblox from 3.8 million in June 2022 to more than 25 million in June 2026.

Meanwhile, nostalgia is playing a significant role in gaming trends. According to IGN's findings, 71% of people agree that they're feeling more and more nostalgic for franchises that were around when they were kids. This trend is evident in the success of games like Minecraft Movie, which raked in $950 million at the box office.

Games Powering Pop Culture

The gaming industry has become a significant driver of pop culture. A Minecraft Movie proved to be an enormous success, driving player interest in the game and reaching a new high of 20 million monthly active users across PlayStation and Xbox. Similarly, Five Nights at Freddy's became Blumhouse's highest-grossing movie ever in 2023.

Loyalty Has Changed

Game communities now behave much like sports fans, celebrating content drops in games like League of Legends much like the release of entirely new games. This shift is driven by younger generations' increased loyalty to specific experiences rather than platforms or genres.

The Future of Gaming

As mobile marketing continues to shape the industry, subscription services are getting bigger and bigger, with old games on these services always being new to someone. The success of games like Split Fiction and Black Myth: Wukong demonstrates that there's still room for new IP to breakthrough.

With 770 games announced in the 2026 summer showcases, the gaming industry is poised for continued growth and innovation.