The number of video game players in Germany continues to grow

The number of video game players in Germany continues to grow

• Six out of every ten Germans play video and computer games
• Players are evenly split between men and women
• The average age of players has increased to nearly 38

Following strong growth in the Covid-19 year 2020, interest in gaming continued to increase in Germany in 2021. Six out of every ten Germans (59 per cent) aged 6 to 69 reported playing PC, console or mobile games. This means that the number of video game players increased by another percentage point compared to the previous year. Taken together, the past two years witnessed a significant increase, with some six per cent more people playing games than in 2019. As a result, the number of players is higher than ever before. These are the figures released today by game – the German Games Industry Association, based on data collected by the market research company GfK.

Approximately one fifth (18 per cent) of German video game players are between 50 and 59 years old. Their large share of the total, as well as the fact that many of those who played computer games in the 1980s and 1990s have stayed true to gaming, are among the reasons why the average age of video game players has increased yet again: in 2020 the average age of all players in Germany was 37.4; by 2021 it had increased to nearly 38. The group of 30- to 39-year-olds is also large, accounting for 18 per cent. The gender breakdown remained unchanged from the previous year, and was almost evenly split, with women making up roughly half of all video game players (48 per cent).

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‘Never before have so many millions of people in Germany been enthusiastic about games,’ says game Managing Director Felix Falk. ‘Games have become as much a part of people’s daily media consumption as television, music and social media.’

Another year of strong growth for the German games market

Following a historic 2020 performance with 32 per cent growth, sales revenues in the German games market continued to rise significantly in 2021 with a total of approximately 9.8 billion euros in sales revenue generated by games, games hardware and fees for online gaming services – an increase of 17 per cent compared to the previous year. Sales revenue from computer and video games grew by 19 per cent to about 5.4 billion euros, due among other things to increases in in-game and in-app purchases. Sales revenue from games hardware has also grown, by 18 per cent overall to about 3.6 billion euros. Demand for games consoles and gaming PC accessories was particularly strong.

About the market data

The market data is based on statistics compiled by the GfK Consumer Panel and data.ai. The methods used by GfK to collect data on Germany’s video games market are unique in terms of both their quality and their global use. They include an ongoing survey of 25,000 consumers who are representative of the German population as a whole regarding their video game purchasing and usage habits, as well as a retail panel. The data collection methods provide a unique insight into the German market for computer and video games.

game – the German Games Industry Association

We are the association of the German games industry. Our members include developers, publishers and many other games industry actors such as esports event organisers, educational establishments and service providers. As a joint organiser of gamescom, we are responsible for the world’s biggest event for computer and video games. We are an expert partner for media and for political and social institutions, and answer questions relating to market development, games culture and media literacy. Our mission is to make Germany the best games location.

Source：game