As gamers counted down to the launch of Nintendo’s next-generation Switch console, leading global video-game stocks are levelling up well ahead of Wall Street’s main index, according to analysis by trading and investing platform eToro.
While the S&P 500 has delivered a respectable 12% total return over the past 12 months, the gaming sector’s revaluation is being fuelled by always‑on digital revenues, franchises that leap from consoles to cinema, and disciplined, sustainable growth.
| Table showing gaming basket of stocks versus major indices | |||
| Basket/indices | Returns 1 year | Returns 3 years | Returns 5 years |
| Gaming index | 46% | 76% | 141% |
| FTSE 100 | 5% | 18% | 44% |
| S&P 500 | 12% | 52% | 101% |
| NASDAQ | 13% | 78% | 121% |
Share price data taken at market close 23/05/2025. Index performance calculated in USD terms. Data from Refinitiv. Past performance is not an indication of future results
eToro built a basket of eight marquee gaming names, from Nintendo and Sony, to Capcom, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Roblox, Ubisoft and Konami, highlighting that the group has climbed 46% in the last year, 76% over three years and 141% over the past five years, comfortably outpacing the NASDAQ’s 13% and the FTSE 100’s 5% total returns over the same 12-month period. Current sector trends remain positive, with future performance shaped by market conditions and individual companies’ developments.
“Gaming stocks’ outsized returns in 2025 aren’t just a function of cyclical tailwinds from blockbuster launches like GTA VI or the upcoming Switch 2,” said Lale Akoner, Global Market Analyst at eToro. “What we’re witnessing is a structural revaluation of the sector. The shift to digital distribution and live‑service models has turned what used to be hit‑driven publishers into recurring‑revenue machines, with Capcom’s 78% digital share now the industry benchmark.”
| Table showing performance of companies included in global gaming basket | |||
| Brand | Returns 1 year | Returns 3 years | Returns 5 years |
| Nintendo (7974.T) | 32% | 97% | 151% |
| Sony (6758.T) | 42% | 59% | 171% |
| Capcom (9697.T) | 52% | 132% | 338% |
| Electronic Arts (EA.O) | 17% | 16% | 26% |
| Take-Two (TTWO.O) | 57% | 105% | 69% |
| Roblox (RBLX.K) | 151% | 158% | 17% |
| Ubisoft (UBIP.PA) | -52% | -78% | -85% |
| Konami (9766.T) | 69% | 116% | 438% |
All share price data accurate as of market close 20/05/2025. Data from Refinitiv. Past performance is not an indication of future results
Major gaming stocks have outperformed the S&P 500 by roughly 4 times over 12 months, 1.5 times over three years and 1.4 times over five years, underscoring investors’ growing appetite for interactive-entertainment stocks ahead of the Switch refresh and a busy release slate across the industry.
Lale Akoner added: “These franchises are breaking out of the console box – from cinematic releases and mobile spin‑offs to entire theme‑park attractions – creating multiple monetisation lanes that cushion earnings volatility. Japanese publishers in particular have paired this monetisation maturity with cost discipline and steady hiring, avoiding the over‑expansion that is now forcing many U.S. peers to retrench. As a result, investors are beginning to view gaming less as a speculative bet on the next big hit and more as a durable, long‑term growth story.”
