German Games Market Grows by 22 Per Cent in the First Half of 2021

Key insights

7 takeaways

01
The German games market grew by 22% in the first half of 2021, reaching a total sales revenue of 4.6 billion euros.
02
In-game and in-app purchases were the primary growth drivers, with revenue rising 34% to approximately 2 billion euros.
03
Hardware sales, including consoles and graphics cards, increased by 24% to reach 1.7 billion euros in the first half of 2021.
04
Revenue from online network charges grew by 18% year-on-year, totaling 378 million euros.
05
Approximately 50% of Germans believe the potential of games to address societal challenges, such as climate change and digitalization, remains underutilized.
06
Free-to-play games maintain high consumer acceptance, with roughly 75% of German players having used such titles without making any in-game purchases.
07
Gaming live-streaming platforms have reached an audience of seven million people in Germany, with one-third of these users engaging with content at least several times per week.

Summary

The German games market experienced significant growth in the first half of 2021, with total sales revenue for computer and video games and associated hardware reaching 4.6 billion euros. This represents a 22 percent year-on-year increase, continuing the upward momentum observed throughout 2020. The primary drivers of this expansion were in-game and in-app purchases, which rose by 34 percent to approximately 2 billion euros, and hardware sales, which grew by 24 percent to 1.7 billion euros. Additionally, revenue from online network subscriptions increased by 18 percent, totaling 378 million euros.

The findings highlight a shift in consumer behavior and industry trends, notably the high acceptance of free-to-play models and the rise of live-streaming as a primary form of digital engagement. Approximately seven million people in Germany now utilize platforms such as Twitch and YouTube for gaming content, with one-third of these users engaging with streams multiple times per week. Despite this growth, industry leadership notes that the broader societal potential of gaming—particularly in education, health, and environmental awareness—remains underutilized, with half of the German population agreeing that these applications are not yet sufficiently integrated into daily life.

The data is derived from market research conducted by GfK and App Annie, utilizing a consumer panel of 25,000 representative individuals to track purchasing and usage habits. Supplementary insights regarding public perception were gathered through an online survey of 2,052 participants conducted by YouGov Deutschland GmbH in August 2021. The results are representative of the German population aged 16 and older, providing a comprehensive overview of the domestic market landscape during the specified six-month period.