Non-gaming applications generated higher global app store revenue than gaming apps in 2025, as artificial intelligence-powered platforms drove a shift that could unlock a $112 billion gamification market by 2031, according to a report by BITKRAFT Ventures.
The report, titled The Future of Consumer Apps: How AI + Game Design Principles Are Reshaping Every Category, said this transition was led by the growth of generative AI, which emerged as the fastest-growing mobile category with revenue tripling to over $5 billion.
It also highlighted a change in user behaviour, noting that more than 40 per cent of the global population now expects app experiences similar to gaming, including instant feedback, visible progress, and personalised rewards. However, many applications have yet to meet these expectations.
The report said artificial intelligence has made it easier to build such experiences. Features that once required large-scale budgets can now be developed by smaller teams, leading to what it described as “AI Apps 2.0”, or applications that learn from users, adapt in real time, and improve engagement over time.
Jens Hilgers, Founding General Partner at BITKRAFT Ventures, said, “Gaming is not just the largest entertainment sector; it is the foundational design language for the next generation of consumer experiences. AI has made it possible for any founder to build the kind of adaptive, personalised product that once required a studio-scale budget. The founders who combine game-design thinking with AI-native infrastructure will build the most consequential consumer companies of this decade. The behavioural shift has already happened and the infrastructure costs are falling. What remains is execution, and knowing where to aim.”
The study examined sectors including education, financial technology, e-commerce, health and wellness, social and community platforms, along with emerging areas such as spirituality and creative collaboration. It assessed market size, exposure of incumbents, and the role of AI and game mechanics across categories.
It further noted that gamified consumer applications have seen $20.7 billion in private market transactions since 2020 across 208 deals. Most of this investment has gone into education technology, fitness and wellness, and entertainment and social segments, leaving areas such as finance and commerce relatively underexplored.
The report also pointed to a gap in funding. Consumer companies account for around 20 per cent of unicorns but receive less than 10 per cent of venture capital. BITKRAFT estimates that private market activity in this segment could reach $50 billion within five years.
Looking ahead, the firm said at least five non-gaming consumer companies valued at more than $10 billion could emerge by 2035, adding that the window to establish category leadership may be limited to 18 to 24 months.