Aream & Co reports that gaming mergers and acquisitions reached $2.3 billion in the second quarter, marking the highest level since 2022

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The second quarter of 2026 saw $2.3 billion in mergers and acquisitions within the games industry, involving 54 deals, marking the peak since 2022, as reported by investment banking firm Aream & Co.

The recent Video Game Market Update by Aream & Co. highlights that acquisitions over $100 million in the gaming content segment were the main contributors to this financial growth.

This sector achieved its highest point post-pandemic, propelled by acquisitions in PC gaming and mobile development sectors, including Playstack and Fenris Creations/CCP.

Significant deals comprised Scopely acquiring Loom for $1 billion and Park Kwan-ho, founder of Wemade, planning to divest his 35% ownership to the NeoPulse group from China.

Spending on in-app purchases in mobile gaming fell by 4% compared to the previous year, while installs dropped 12%, hitting lows not seen in years. Long-standing games maintained their stronghold, with 65% of the top 20 grossing mobile titles being at least four years old.

PC gaming experienced a 13% annual increase, thanks to sequels and fresh intellectual properties like Forza Horizon 6, Subnautica 2, 007: First Light, Pragmata, Mecha Chameleon, and Windrose.

Console gaming saw no major changes, but Nintendo recorded a notable 90% rise in revenue year-on-year, owing to successful sales of its Switch 2 systems and games.

This growth offset setbacks from other manufacturers. PlayStation's revenue decreased by 5%, attributed to "hardware weakness", though there was some mitigation from PSN services and digital software growth.

For Xbox, revenues were down by 7%, reflecting a significant 33% decline in hardware sales and a 5% reduction in content and services.

Public market funding saw a substantial 67% increase from the previous year, buoyed by Liftoff's $0.5 billion public offering, PlaySimple's $0.35 billion future listing, and Fellowship Entertainment's intended separation from Embracer.

The value of private investments surged six times higher compared to the previous year, reaching $3.1 billion. This surge was especially evident in AdTech, with AppsFlyer securing $1 billion, and seeing participation from MoldCo, DeepMind, Meta, and Unity, alongside advancements in AI technologies by companies such as General Intuition, Odyssey, and Decart.