- 20:35
Free to play… yet astonishingly profitable, today’s video games turn our clicks into cash. Microtransactions, virtual concerts and blockbuster partnerships have made Fortnite, Candy Crush and their peers billion-dollar giants. And in Lebanon, players show no sign of putting down their controllers anytime soon.
Video games, once seen as mere entertainment, have grown into a finely tuned economic powerhouse that rivals Hollywood and the music industry combined. In 2014, Fortnite quietly entered the market with Pixar-style graphics and a concept inspired by the Battle Royale genre. Today, it is no longer just about players competing against each other; the game hosts concerts by Ariana Grande, Metallica and even Aya Nakamura. Candy Crush, with its colorful candies and endless levels, proves that even a simple puzzle game can be hugely profitable. This is the world of gaming economics, where everything feels free until your credit card says otherwise.
A Global Industry Playing in the Big Leagues
In 2014, the global video game industry was already generating $93 billion. Ten years later, in 2024, it was worth around $184 billion and, according to PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024–2028, it could reach $312 billion by 2027. This growth is fueled by a wider audience of more than 3.2 billion players and the rise of hybrid business models: free downloads paired with abundant paid content.
December 1993 brought a small revolution for football fans and console gamers with the arrival of FIFA International Soccer. Its major innovation was a dynamic 3D view that replaced the traditional flat perspective, giving the feeling of being right in the middle of the match. Crowd chants, goal celebrations and unprecedented realism helped it sell 500,000 copies in just one month, according to Football Fandom.
Behind this success was American giant Electronic Arts (EA), which signed a historic deal with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to use its name and national teams. The formula was set: each year, a new release would deliver sharper graphics, new modes, and the chance to challenge friends or strangers anywhere in the world.
In 2022, after nearly thirty years of partnership, EA and FIFA parted ways. The game was rebranded as EA Sports FC 24. Its DNA remained the same, but it failed to match the record-breaking sales of previous years.
When it first launched, Fortnite was just another multiplayer shooter. But Epic Games quickly realized that lasting appeal required constant surprises. Collaborations with Marvel, sports icons and pop culture stars turned each season into a major event. In 2019, the game reached a new level, becoming a virtual stage where Marshmello, Ariana Grande, Eminem and Aya Nakamura performed to millions of avatars.
Fortnite dominates the numbers: more than $42 billion in total revenue between 2018 and 2025, with annual peaks of up to $6 billion, according to DemandSage. And yet, the game remains free. The secret lies in V-Bucks, a virtual currency bought with real money to unlock skins, dances and battle passes. Small purchases that, when added up, create enormous profits.
Launched in 2012, Candy Crush Saga follows a simple model: free to start, with faster progress and extra bonuses available for a few dollars. The result is over $20 billion in revenue since launch, including $1.4 billion in 2024 alone, according to Reuters. With more than 14,000 levels and 270 million monthly active players, this colorful puzzle remains one of the most profitable and addictive mobile games in the world.
In Lebanon, the online gaming market is projected to grow by around 8.4% annually from 2025 to 2031, according to 6Wresearch. Smartphones, more affordable than consoles, dominate the scene. Young players are drawn to e-sports, localized content and the social features built into games. Yet economic instability and frequent internet outages still limit the sector’s full potential.
Beneath the fun and games, the video game industry is a giant that doesn’t mess around with numbers. FIFA, Fortnite and Candy Crush prove that free access or low launch prices don’t stop games from raking in billions. Even in Lebanon, despite the challenges, the game is far from over. For publishers, one thing is clear: the final level is not on the horizon.
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