adminGTA 6 console revenue is expected to be a major factor in the platform’s growth during 2026. Newzoo forecasts that console revenue will rise year on year, but says the market would be flat compared with 2025 without the release of Grand Theft Auto 6. Nintendo Switch 2 is another contributor to the platform’s performance.
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GTA 6 console revenue and Newzoo’s 2026 forecast
Newzoo’s Global Games Market Report projects that console revenue will increase by 5.1% in 2026, reaching $46.9 billion. The firm also forecasts that Grand Theft Auto 6 will help lift full-game spending on consoles by 17.5%, making it the strongest-growing business model in its assessment.
Speaking at Gamescom 2026, Newzoo director of market intelligence Emmanuel “Manu” Rosier identified Switch 2 and GTA 6 as the two key drivers behind console performance. He said that without the game’s release, the platform would be on track to decline year on year rather than grow. For readers following market forecasts, this means the headline increase depends heavily on major releases, not just broad-based growth across the console category.
What the release could mean for other games
Rosier expects GTA 6 to draw spending and attention away from some other games. That potential competition may help explain why studios have moved release dates to avoid launching close to the blockbuster. Players comparing upcoming releases may therefore see a more concentrated schedule, with some titles arriving before or after GTA 6.
Newzoo also expects the game’s impact to continue beyond its launch year. Rosier pointed to the strength of earlier Grand Theft Auto games as catalogue titles, while noting that the future relationship between the current GTA Online experience and a new version is not yet clear. Newzoo’s 2027 forecast includes a PC launch for GTA 6, although the timing and details of that transition have not been confirmed by Take-Two.
Pricing and wider games-market context
Rosier described demand for GTA 6 as relatively resistant to price changes, given the game’s unique status and long anticipation. He also noted that when a major publisher raises prices, it can influence pricing across the market; some indie games, for example, have moved from $20 to $30. This is a market observation, not a guarantee that every game will follow the same pricing trend.
Mobile remains the largest gaming platform by revenue in Newzoo’s report. It is forecast to generate 57% of global games revenue in 2026, or $121.1 billion, up 6.8% year on year. Higher player spending and direct-to-consumer storefronts are among the factors behind that growth. Newzoo previously estimated that GTA 6 pre-orders generated $260 million in their first week.
What to watch next
The key factors to follow are GTA 6’s launch performance, Switch 2 sales, the game’s eventual PC release, and any changes to GTA Online. Together, these will help determine whether the expected boost lasts beyond 2026. Overall, Newzoo’s outlook suggests that GTA 6 console revenue will be central to the console market’s projected growth this year.
