Duamentes Gaming Report Exposes Why 92% of Players Quit

Duamentes Gaming Report combines global market trends with industry leaders’ in-depth interviews, surveys, and players’ behavioral insights.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, May 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Duamentes laucnhed Gaming Report 2025, stating the GameDev industry has stopped growing. Despite strong top-line numbers — mobile ($96.2B), console ($52.4B), and PC ($40.4B) — studios are being stretched by rising production costs, gameplay fatigue, and shifting user expectations.

The study states the Global GameDev market is valued at $189.3B in 2025, signaling stabilization — not acceleration. In mature regions like the US and Europe, growth has stalled entirely. Experts highlight the urgent need for change: player retention is broken, and most studios fail to understand what players actually want — and by the time they find out in beta, it’s too late to save the game or the business behind it.

“Players want meaning, not just mechanics — they want emotional clarity, narrative hooks, social features that foster belonging, and a genuine respect for their time, not manipulation. As short-form platforms like TikTok change how users discover games, the bar for first-session clarity has never been higher. Studios now compete not just with other games — but with every other moment of screen time,” said Maria Amirkhanyan, Head of Gaming Division at Duamentes.

Player challenges:

-92% of players churn before Day 30
-70% of players drop off within the first few sessions, often before the game has a chance to connect.
-38% decide whether to quit during the very first session seeking emotional connection, social features, and immediate clarity.
-60% of new mobile games launched in 5 crowded genres and most struggled to break through.
-40% of games entering new regions fail due to cultural mismatches in UX, tone, or monetisation.

Industry & Studio Challenges:

-71% of studios delay user testing until beta — but by then, it’s often too late to fix what matters.
-49% of developers say unionisation is necessary to protect working conditions in an industry increasingly shaped by burnout and uncertainty.
-40% of developers say their teams have been impacted by layoffs.
-46% of developers work over 50 hours per week — up from 35% last year

The report points to a growing industry divide between those who adapt and those who don’t. As outlined, many studios still rely on practices that no longer serve them: from “Build first, test later” leads to costly rework to relying on genre popularity over emotional engagement. "In turbulent times, playtesting and user research are more important than ever for releasing games that players, critics, and investors love," stated Steve Bromley, Games User Research Consultant, author of How To Be A Games User Researcher.

Experts highlight, while many AAA studios struggle to innovate under mounting costs and conservative pipelines, indie studios are emerging as the creative engine of the industry. With players increasingly seeking smaller, emotionally resonant, and more affordable experiences, indies are filling a crucial gap. “The quality and relevance of indie games will soar as more developers embrace independence and tools improve,” said Amir Satvat, Game Industry Strategist & Founder of Amir Satvat's Games Community.

“As a strategic and product consulting firm operating across 40 countries and 20 industries for nearly a decade, Duamentes has been closely tracking gaming market dynamics. While the industry tightens, the demand for deep, actionable expertise continues to grow. We already have that expertise, with a cross-industrial approach and extensive insight database, and now we're strengthening it further by launching a dedicated Gaming Division, which we’re announcing at the AI & Games User Research conference,” said Maria Amirkhanyan.

About the Study
Duamentes Gaming Report 2025 provides global statistics, behavioral insights, and strategic frameworks for game studios, publishers, and investors.
The study combines desk research and behavioral insight mapping with over 100 in-depth interviews conducted with industry experts, studio leaders, developers, and designers. Get Full Report: www.duamentes.com / Contact: pr@duamentes.com

Maria Amirkhanyan
Duamentes Ltd.
pr@duamentes.com