Bain & Company predicted that the game industry’s global revenue could grow by more than 50% over the next five years to $300 billion.

The global consultancy said the industry growth is accelerating thanks to heavy engagement of younger gamers (ages 13 to 17) who spend about 40% more in video game environments than with any other form of media.

However, large, virtual world games, played by fewer but more engaged gamers over multiple platforms, are likely to contribute more to the industry’s profits, given the monetization opportunities through microtransactions within games, and through other media experiences, virtual events, and commerce.

 According to the company, although gamers have historically trended younger, new data suggests fewer gamers are aging out. This change will likely be supported as gaming becomes the foundation for other media and nonmedia experiences. So the demographic trend only gets stronger over time.