The UK and European gaming industries are huge. There are numerous players across the continent, and the development and manufacture of games provide a large revenue for the Eurozone. Yet one country is a huge gaming mecca with the second-highest number of gamers in Europe. That is Germany.
With a strong focus on simulators and strategy along with a PlayStation-heavy user profile, the country is also very unique. In the past few years, it has shown no signs of slowing down. Below, we give an overview of the German gaming market in 2022.
German gaming market
In Europe, the German gaming market is second only to Russia in terms of size and revenue. Estimates are that there are around 44.3 million gamers in the country, generating a yearly revenue of over €6.2 billion. Around €1.1 billion of this is spent on games but €1.8 billion goes on in-game purchases.
When it comes to breaking down how people play, then Sony’s PlayStation holds a tight grip on the market. 89.25% of gamers use this as their primary console, with only around 10.73% of gamers preferring Microsoft’s Xbox. Despite this huge gulf, Xbox ownership is on the increase while PlayStation usage decreases by a small margin. However, this could be down to the lack of availability of PlayStation 5 consoles in recent years.
German iGaming
It is not only console and PC gaming that is booming in the country either. A whole market for online casino games and related entertainment, such as bingo, is gaining popularity in the country. Appealing to a more casual gaming audience often playing via mobile, predictions are that this will rise to €3.3. billion industry by 2024. This will be buoyed by access to the newest websites and most recent offers for players in the country.
This industry has been responsible for huge levels of innovation. Modern games in the iGaming industry are going beyond just providing table games and slots. Streaming technologies are now allowing live dealer games and even hybrid game show-style operations. All this has made it extremely popular with German consumers who may not be attracted to more traditional gaming formats.
Video game production in Germany
Production of video games in Germany began in the era of the 8-bit computer. The main developers in this period were few, but all were extremely influential. For example, one studio, Factor 5, was responsible for the Turrican franchise, which is still popular today. Another studio, BlueByte, is now owned by the Ubisoft group and still produces games today.
In the modern era, Germany houses some of the biggest game studios of all. Ubisoft Germany was responsible for working on the Far Cry game series, and their smaller studios have worked on Assassins Creed titles.
However, it is not only huge studios that work there. Most of the industry is built around smaller, independent developers. Many of these are responsible for simulation and management games, and the country has built a robust reputation for creating these titles. Forge of Empires, Tribal Wars and Settlers were all developed within the borders of the country. The world’s largest gaming expo is held in Germany.
Named Gamescom, developers showcase upcoming games and hardware to more than 250’000 people. Last year, exhibitors included large organisations like Bandai Namco and SEGA and smaller studios like Build a Rocket Boy and Embark Studios. The event has been so successful that, as a direct result, the German government has introduced a scheme to encourage investment. In this, they will fund up to 50% of a game’s development.
Find more gaming news like this by clicking here.
