Games industry predictions for 2026: Make-or-break for pandemic era investments, D2C's evolution, and rapid scaling
As the year comes to a close, we've been taking a look back at the top games and trends of the year, reflecting on a year of change in the industry.
As part of our 2025 retrospective, we asked our Mobile Mavens - a collection of games industry experts - a few questions about the year gone by.
Here we ask:
What are your predictions for the games industry in 2026?
We already spoke with the Mobile Mavens about their predictions previously here and here.
Learn about the latest industry trends and what's in store for the year ahead in the games industry at Pocket Gamer Connects London on January 19th and 20th. Not in town? Check out our other global events here.
Alina Zlotnik
Fast-growing markets will keep growing.
In 2025, we saw strong download growth in countries like Ukraine, Romania, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, and the Czech Republic with no clear signs of slowdown.
These audiences are also getting better at monetising, so these regions are likely to remain among the fastest-growing next year. Revenue growth potential in Latin America and MENA also looks strong, as these markets haven’t hit their ceiling yet.
Interest in D2C and web shops will continue to rise.
Even though alternative payments still make up a relatively small share of revenue in major markets like the US and China, developers are clearly paying more attention to these models and that trend is likely to continue.
Reaching top-grossing positions without live ops and meta systems will become rare.
The market is increasingly demanding games that are built for long-term operation. Titles without deep meta or live ops can still succeed with strong publisher backing or a powerful IP (like Disney Magic Match 3D).
But in most cases, sustainable revenue now comes from well-designed monetisation, layered meta systems, and consistent live ops.
Vladimir Nikolsky
Success in 2026 will hinge on a studio's capacity for bold, decisive action. After initial validation, winners won't scale cautiously; they will orchestrate a rapid, all-in blitz - securing major funding to dominate user acquisition in a single, powerful surge.
The slow, incremental launch is a relic; it leaves the door open for fast-moving competitors. Victory will require not just the courage to take this leap, but also the operational excellence to execute it flawlessly and capture the critical window of opportunity.
The biggest hits will come from a smart mix of creativity, live ops, marketing, and funding. Games that pull these elements together will stand out, while solo developers and tiny teams will struggle.
Alisa Akifeva
One of the most important developments to watch right now is what’s happening around antitrust changes in the US.
The rulings against Google are set to significantly lower the barriers for alternative app stores on Android, from easier distribution through Google Play to broader access to the Play ecosystem itself.
This is a big deal, because it gives alternative stores a real chance to compete on product and experience, not just exist on the margins.
At the same time, we’re very curious to see how 2026 will play out in Japan after the recent changes to the iOS market. Japan is a major mobile gaming market and how players and developers respond there will be an important signal for the rest of the industry.
And of course, alternative distribution isn’t just about fees or policy, it also has the potential to meaningfully improve discovery. As AI tools make game development faster and more accessible, the number of new games will only grow.
Solving discoverability in that environment is becoming one of the biggest challenges in mobile gaming, and alternative stores can play a key role there.
Vladimir Markov
The biggest opportunities will be in hybrids: simple, sticky hypercasual mechanics paired with deep, long-term progression. There will be no room for mistakes, as the market is tougher than ever.
Focus and flexibility matter more than anything. Success often differs from failure simply by the number of attempts. And when you find your idea, you need to commit to it and see it through to an excellent result. Don’t spread yourself too thin; focus on what you truly believe in.
Gil Tov-Ly
My predictions are direct-to-consumer focused. 2026 will be the year D2C stops being a side hustle and becomes the way the most serious studios are built, run, and loved by their players. I see three core drivers of this change:
1. The rise of the “VP of D2C”
In 2026, we will see more formal D2C leadership roles appear, but the real change is scope. The VP of D2C (or equivalent) will own a full commercial line of business – strategy, budgets, KPIs, and cross-functional roadmaps that cut across UA, monetisation, live ops, BI, and finance.
Studios that treat D2C as a true P&L owner, not a side-project under monetisation, will move faster and take bigger swings.
2. Crossing 50% D2C forces web-first design
As more leading studios pass 50% D2C share of wallet, design will start from the web and flow back into the app, not the other way around. Economies, live ops calendars, and event concepts will be planned around web value first, with in-app offers adapted from D2C-native ideas. Inside top teams, the quiet default becomes: “What is the web store story here?” before any platform placement is even discussed.
3. D2C becomes the “Town Hall” for loyal players
In 2026, the most advanced publishers will turn their D2C presence into the central meeting place for their players. Web will host identity, VIP and loyalty benefits, cross-game value, and a clear view of a player’s relationship with the brand.
Appcharge’s game portal and parking domain products are part of this shift. They let studios build a persistent “Town Hall” around their web assets: a place players bookmark, return to for offers, events, and news, and begin to see as the natural home of the game community rather than a side trip for cheaper purchases.
Diana Korkina
I think that direct-to-consumer monetisation and alternative distribution will continue to grow. Players will be given a bigger choice and benefit on where to make a purchase.
AI will get even stronger adoption.
Roman Gurskiy
Much will depend on the performance of games companies funded during the 2020 to 2021 investment boom fueled by the COVID pandemic.
We are reaching the five-year mark since that spike in capital, making 2026 a make-or-break year for those investments. If these startups deliver strong results, it will trigger a new round of industry-wide backing.
People