2015
Company
Documents about 2015
eSports Become a Pop-Culture Phenomenon
German internet users show broad and growing interest in eSports, according to a July 2015 release from BIU, the German Games Industry Association, issued ahead of gamescom in Cologne (5 to 9 August).
- Approximately 12 million Germans (22% of internet users) are familiar with eSports, and nearly 7 million have already watched competitive matches.
- Interest in eSports is highest among younger demographics, with 27% of 14- to 19-year-olds and 25% of 20- to 29-year-olds engaging with the content.
- Major eSports events are increasingly held in large-scale venues, such as the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, which hosted over 20,000 attendees for an ESL One tournament.
Computer and Video Games Market Grows in First Half of 2015: Germany
The German games market grew 3 percent year on year in the first half of 2015, reaching 534 million euros in sales across PC, console, handheld, smartphone and tablet games.
- The German computer and video games market grew by 3% in the first half of 2015, generating 534 million euros in sales across PCs, consoles, and mobile devices.
- Industry experts forecast double-digit growth for the overall German games market in 2015, potentially exceeding the 11% growth rate recorded in 2014.
- Sales of games for stationary consoles, including the PlayStation 4, Wii U, and Xbox One, reached 306 million euros in the first half of 2015, a 16% increase over the same period in 2014.
Strong Interest in Virtual Reality Headsets: Germany
Interest in virtual reality headsets for gaming is already substantial among German internet users, even though most major devices had not yet reached the market.
- In Germany, 35% of internet users expressed interest in using virtual reality headsets for gaming, despite many models not yet being available on the market as of July 2015.
- Interest in virtual reality is highest among younger demographics, with 62% of 14- to 19-year-olds and 46% of 20- to 29-year-olds indicating they want to use the technology for gaming.
- Consumer curiosity extends to older age groups, with 38% of 30- to 39-year-olds, 37% of 40- to 49-year-olds, and 20% of users aged 50 and older expressing interest in trying the devices.
High Demand for Gaming Consoles in Germany
German demand for gaming consoles rose sharply in 2015, according to figures released by the BIU (the German Games Industry Association, now known as game) on 26 April 2016.
- In 2015, the German gaming console market grew by 7 percent, with total sales revenue increasing from 774 million euros in 2014 to 825 million euros.
- The total German computer and video games market reached 2.81 billion euros in 2015, representing a 4.5 percent annual growth.
- Approximately 15.6 million people in Germany play on stationary consoles, while 8.3 million use portable gaming devices.
PC and Console Games: Purchasing Digital Games via Download Becomes Popular Alternative
Buying PC and console games via download has become an established alternative to physical media in Germany, though growth in its share slowed markedly in 2015 after strong gains in prior years.
- The German market for computer and video games grew by 4.5% in 2015, reaching a total value of 2.81 billion euros.
- Digital downloads accounted for 33% of all PC and console game purchases in 2015, up from 32% in 2014.
- Revenue from digital downloads rose to 21% of total PC and console game spending in 2015, a 2 percentage point increase from the previous year.
Hybrid Toys: Strong Demand Drives Significant Market Growth
The German market for hybrid toys, also known as toys-to-life figures, grew 53 percent in 2015 to 72 million euros, up from 47 million euros in 2014.
- The German market for hybrid toys, or 'toys-to-life' figures, grew by 53% in 2015, reaching a total revenue of 72 million euros compared to 47 million euros in 2014.
- The total German computer and video games market grew by 4.5% in 2015, reaching a total value of 2.81 billion euros.
- Sales revenue from virtual goods and add-on content experienced significant growth, rising 18% year-over-year to reach 562 million euros in 2015.
German Market for Game Apps Grows by 31 Per Cent
German game app revenue grew 31 per cent in 2015, rising from 241 million euros in 2014 to 315 million euros.
- The German market for game apps grew by 31% in 2015, reaching a total sales revenue of 315 million euros compared to 241 million euros in 2014.
- Revenue from virtual goods and additional content within free-to-play games reached 295 million euros in 2015, representing a 36% increase over the previous year.
- Direct purchases of game apps declined in 2015, generating only 20 million euros in revenue.
Market for Computer and Video Games in Germany: 2015 Growth Analysis
The German market for computer and video games kept growing in 2015, according to figures released by the BIU (now game), the German Games Industry Association, on 6 April 2016.
- The German computer and video game market grew by 4.5% in 2015, reaching a total sales volume of 2.81 billion euros compared to 2.69 billion euros in 2014.
- Sales revenue from gaming consoles rose by 6.5% in 2015, increasing from 774 million euros in 2014 to 825 million euros.
- The market for digital games generated 1.99 billion euros in 2015, representing a 3.5% growth over the previous year's 1.92 billion euros.
Games Fuel the App Economy
Game apps dominate the global app economy, according to a March 2016 market analysis released by the German Games Industry Association (BIU) and based on App Annie data.
- Game apps accounted for 85% of global app store revenue in 2015, generating $34.8 billion out of a total $41.1 billion market.
- The dominance of gaming in the app economy is projected to persist, with game apps expected to generate $74.6 billion of the total $101 billion in projected 2020 app revenue.
- In Germany, game apps are responsible for approximately 76% of all revenue generated within domestic app stores.
Global Market for Game Apps Will Grow to 74.6 Billion US Dollars by 2020
Global sales revenue from mobile game apps is forecast to climb from 34.8 billion US dollars in 2015 to 74.6 billion by 2020, an increase of more than 114 percent.
- The global market for game apps is projected to grow from $34.8 billion in 2015 to $74.6 billion by 2020, representing an increase of more than 114%.
- In 2015, game apps accounted for 85% of total global app store revenue, despite representing only 40% of total app downloads.
- The global market for game apps was projected to reach $41.5 billion in 2016, marking a year-over-year growth of more than 19% compared to 2015.
Slight Jobs Increase in German Computer and Video Games Industry
The German games industry added jobs only modestly in the year to April 2016, even as the domestic market grew considerably.
- As of April 1, 2016, the German computer and video games industry employed 12,839 people across 510 companies, marking a 1% increase in staff and a 14% increase in the number of companies compared to 2015.
- When including peripheral roles such as specialist retail, journalism, and academia, the total number of jobs supported by the industry in Germany reached 31,293, a 4% year-over-year increase.
- The German games market grew by 4.5% in 2015, reaching a total value of 2.81 billion euros.
Free-to-Play Games: From Smartphone to eSports Arena
Free-to-play games have become a significant pillar of the German computer and video games market, according to figures published by the BIU (German Games Industry Association) on 18 May 2016, drawing on GfK data for 2015.
- The German market for virtual products and extra content within free-to-play games grew by 18% in 2015, reaching 562 million euros compared to 477 million euros in 2014.
- Free-to-play mobile apps dominate the smartphone and tablet sector, accounting for 295 million euros of the 315 million euros total generated by game apps in Germany in 2015, or approximately 94% of that revenue.
- The broader German computer and video games market reached a total value of 2.81 billion euros as of 2016.