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The games industry raised $51.5 billion over 1,182 transactions according to DDM Data and Research’s Q4 2022 Games Investment Review. This marks the year as the second highest year for investments behind 2021’s $74.5 billion over 1,219 deals.

Readjustment after the pandemic is having far reaching effects on the games market. DDM suggests this decline is a result of crypto winter, macroeconomic headwinds, high interest rates and inflation and recession concerns.

The changing landscape is also changing the nature of these transactions. $38.1 billion of 2022’s $51.5 billion total — nearly 75% — was spent on mergers and acquisitions. This is a 14% increase in M&A transaction value. Meanwhile, total investments declined by 67% from 2021 ($41.0 billion) to 2022 ($13.4 billion).

2022 was a tricky year for gaming IPOs. 12 companies went public last year with a total market cap of $1.6 billion. This is a 99% drop from 2021’s anomalous $109.4 billion total.

Event

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Join the GamesBeat community in San Francisco this October 24-25. You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry on latest developments and their take on the future of gaming.


Learn More

DDM’s full Q4 2022 Games Investment Review is available here.

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