• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, Yesterday

With the backdrop of ad revenue expanding in high-end, in-game console and PC games, new research shows major Hollywood studios and streaming platforms accelerating video-game adaptations -- with business now up 30% since 2019, according to Ampere Analysis.

Over the last five years, video game adaptations have grown to 272 titles, with 62 in 2024 alone.

A majority of the new title efforts are based on existing TV series and/or theatrical movies -- such as recent high-profile content “The Last of Us” and “A Minecraft Movie.” According to Ampere, in 2025, 69% of video game adaptations were live-action  -- more than double the share from the previous year.

Major studios -- including Warner Bros., Paramount, Netflix, Comcast, and Amazon -- have secured rights to 10 marquee game franchises, according to Ampere.

“The most successful adaptations tend to combine a clearly defined story with a format suited to live action and an addressable audience that extends beyond core fans,” says Ronald Santa-Cruz, research manager at Ampere Analysis, in a release.

He adds: “For studios willing to look beyond the usual suspects, there remains a strong pipeline of game IP that could translate into the next major transmedia success.”

In-game video console advertising is still a small piece of the overall in-game ad revenue pie --- just 25% of the estimated $31 billion globally, with the majority coming from the mobile in-game platforms.

According to another estimate, the global console in-game advertising market is estimated to reach $22.0 billion by 2030 -- growing at an average annual rate of 13.1% over the period of 2024-2030.