The gaming market for PCs and monitors is set to rebound in 2024 after consecutive declines in 2022 and 2023, according to a new forecast from the International Data Corporation (IDC).
IDC expects gaming volume to rise by 9 percent in 2024, reaching 69.3 million units. A full recovery in high-end gaming desktops, bolstered by the release of new GPUs, is anticipated by 2025. By 2028, gaming is projected to account for 20 percent of the overall PC and monitor market.
The gaming PC sector showed modest signs of recovery in the second quarter of 2024 (2Q24), with 10.6 million units shipped, marking a 2.4 percent increase. Despite lingering economic uncertainties, particularly in major markets like China, inventory replenishment and a comparison to a weak 2023 contributed to the first positive quarter since early 2022.
Meanwhile, gaming monitors saw significant growth in 2Q24, with shipments rising 35 percent year-over-year to nearly 6.5 million units. This marks the highest volume of shipments recorded since IDC began tracking the market in 2016.
Additionally, gaming monitors reached a 20 percent share of the total monitor market, driven by aggressive promotions and new competitors entering the space. Price drops also played a role, with the average gaming display now priced below $300.
The recent slowdown in gaming PC sales has been attributed to a lack of innovative hardware and consumer investment in alternative gaming markets, such as handheld devices. However, the gaming monitor segment continues to thrive, marking five consecutive quarters of year-over-year growth.
