Computer and Video Games Market Grows in First Half of 2015: Germany

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
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.
02
Industry experts forecast double-digit growth for the overall German games market in 2015, potentially exceeding the 11% growth rate recorded in 2014.
03
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.
04
Game apps dominated the mobile market in the second quarter of 2015, accounting for 75% of total sales generated in the Apple and Google app stores in Germany.
05
Germany is currently the second-largest market for game app sales in Europe and ranks seventh globally.
06
Sales of games sold on physical media (DVD and Blu-ray) remained stable at 385 million euros during the first half of 2015, with a single-digit percentage increase projected for the full year.

Summary

The German computer and video games market demonstrated consistent growth during the first half of 2015, with total sales reaching 534 million euros. This figure represents a 3 percent year-on-year increase for games across PC, console, handheld, and mobile platforms. Industry projections suggest this upward trajectory will continue, with expectations of double-digit growth for the full year, potentially exceeding the 11 percent growth rate recorded in 2014.

Console gaming emerged as a primary driver of this expansion, with sales for stationary consoles such as the PlayStation 4, Wii U, and Xbox One rising 16 percent to 306 million euros. While physical media remains the dominant format, accounting for 75 percent of market revenue at 385 million euros, digital distribution is gaining traction. Sales of game downloads for PC and console platforms grew by 6 percent, reaching 128 million euros and increasing their total market share from 23 to 25 percent.

The mobile sector also highlights the significant role of gaming in the broader digital economy. In the second quarter of 2015, game apps accounted for 75 percent of all sales generated within German app stores. Germany currently ranks as the second-largest market for game app sales in Europe and seventh globally.

These findings are based on market data provided by GfK, which utilizes a representative consumer panel of 25,000 individuals to track purchasing and usage habits. The analysis was released by the German Games Industry Association (BIU) to provide an overview of the industry's health ahead of the 2015 gamescom event. The reported figures exclude hardware, subscription fees, and virtual in-game content, focusing specifically on software sales.