Income generated from four different gaming categories between 2000 and 2006

The bar chart illustrates the revenue generated by four distinct gaming sectors—mobile, online, console, and handheld—between 2000 and 2006. Overall, handheld games remained the dominant revenue source, showing a steady upward trend, whereas console games experienced a gradual decline. Meanwhile, mobile and online gaming sectors saw substantial growth, particularly in the latter half of the period.

Handheld games began at $11 billion in 2000 and climbed steadily to reach $18 billion by 2006. In contrast, console games started at $6 billion and followed a downward trajectory, finishing at $3 billion in 2006. This indicates a clear shift in consumer preference away from traditional console platforms toward handheld devices.

Mobile phone and online games were virtually non-existent in 2000. However, both sectors grew rapidly from 2002 onwards. Mobile phone games rose from $1 billion in 2002 to $7 billion by 2006. Similarly, online games increased from $1 billion in 2002 to $9 billion in 2006, overtaking mobile games in the final year. By 2006, online gaming had become the second most lucrative category, reflecting the rapid expansion of digital connectivity during this six-year timeframe.