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Asia Spotlight Report: The Impact of COVID-19 on China’s Video Game Market in Q1 2020
The video game market in China experienced a significant surge in engagement and revenue during the first quarter of 2020, driven by widespread stay-at-home mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Total industry revenue for the quarter is estimated to have been approximately 30% higher than in the same period of 2019. This growth was characterized by increased mobile, PC, and console usage, as gamers sought entertainment and social connection during prolonged quarantine periods.
Key findings from an April 2020 survey of 1,057 Chinese gamers highlight the depth of this shift: 97.2% of respondents reported spending more time on mobile games, while 94.6% increased their time on PC titles. Spending also rose, with 81.6% of mobile gamers and 76.3% of PC gamers reporting higher expenditures during the lockdown. While major titles from publishers like Tencent and NetEase dominated the market, the period also saw a notable decline in the internet cafe sector, which was forced to close entirely. Survey data suggests a lasting impact on consumer behavior, as 57% of former internet cafe users indicated they do not intend to return to those venues once reopened.
The pandemic also forced a rapid evolution in industry operations, particularly within the esports and development sectors. Esports tournaments successfully migrated to online formats, supported by municipal government initiatives to reduce regulatory barriers. Conversely, game development and outsourcing studios faced productivity challenges, leading to project delays for some global titles. While the surge in home-based gaming provided a substantial revenue boost, the industry faced headwinds regarding hardware manufacturing, component scarcity, and a decline in advertising revenue for smaller, ad-supported titles. Overall, the period solidified gaming as a primary social and entertainment outlet for Chinese consumers, with many users reporting a newfound acceptance of gaming within their households.
- China’s video game market revenue in Q1 2020 was approximately 30% higher than in Q1 2019, driven by increased engagement during the COVID-19 quarantine period.
- Mobile gaming saw significant growth, with iOS weekly game downloads during the Lunar New Year 153% higher than in December 2019 and 81.6% of surveyed gamers reporting increased spending.
- PC gaming engagement surged, with 94.6% of surveyed players spending more time on PC titles and Steam reaching a global record of 18.8 million concurrent users on February 2, 2020.
- The closure of all 133,000 internet cafes in China eliminated a primary gaming venue for 115 million users, with 57% of surveyed cafe-goers stating they do not intend to return once restrictions are lifted.
- Esports tournaments successfully migrated to online formats to mitigate the impact of event cancellations, with 61.7% of surveyed gamers reporting increased viewership during the outbreak.
2020 Year in Review: Digital Games and Interactive Media
The global digital games and interactive media industry experienced significant growth in 2020, with total revenue rising 12% year-over-year to $126.6 billion. This expansion was primarily driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced consumers to remain at home and seek alternative forms of entertainment. As traditional leisure activities like professional sports and cinema were suspended, video games became a primary outlet for social interaction and entertainment, with 55% of U.S. residents reporting increased gaming activity as a direct result of the lockdowns.
Market performance was characterized by the dominance of free-to-play titles, which accounted for 78% of total digital revenue, largely fueled by mobile gaming in Asian markets. However, the premium games segment saw the most rapid growth, increasing by 28% as blockbuster releases like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare captured consumer spending. Gaming video content also emerged as a major pillar of the industry, reaching 1.2 billion viewers and generating $9.3 billion in revenue. Additionally, the virtual reality sector saw a 25% increase in game earnings, bolstered by the release of high-profile titles and the adoption of standalone headsets like the Oculus Quest 2.
The analysis relies on digital point-of-sale data from publishers, developers, and payment service providers, tracking the monthly spending of 195 million paying digital gamers worldwide. Findings indicate that while the initial surge in spending was tied to pandemic-related lockdowns, the long-term behavioral shifts in gaming habits are expected to persist. Looking ahead, the industry is projected to maintain its momentum, with ongoing trends including the consolidation of major publishers, the rise of subscription-based models, and the continued integration of mainstream brands and public figures into interactive digital spaces.
- The global digital games and interactive media industry grew 12% year-over-year in 2020, reaching $126.6 billion in total revenue.
- Free-to-play titles dominated the market, accounting for 78% of total digital revenue, primarily driven by mobile gaming in Asian markets.
- Premium game sales experienced the fastest growth at 28%, bolstered by high-profile releases such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
- Gaming video content became a major industry pillar, attracting 1.2 billion viewers and generating $9.3 billion in revenue.
- The virtual reality sector saw a 25% increase in earnings, supported by the launch of major titles and the adoption of standalone hardware like the Oculus Quest 2.
Czech Video Game PC, Console and Mobile Game Developers in Czech Republic 2020
The study maps the structure and dynamics of the Czech video‑game industry as of 2020, highlighting its rapid export‑driven expansion and the strategic challenges it faces in talent development and public support. The sector comprises roughly 110 domestic development studios, of which only a small fraction are foreign branches, employing about 1,750 specialists. Turnover rose from CZK 2.26 billion in 2017 to over CZK 5 billion in 2020, equivalent to more than €190 million, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 29 % over the previous five years and an export share near 95 % to markets such as the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. Revenue in 2019 already surpassed €169 million, outpacing the national film industry by a factor of three, and the market is projected to exceed €190 million in 2020.
The analysis of the publishing and distribution landscape shows a shift away from traditional full‑development financing toward a model where publishers act mainly as marketing and launch partners, while online platforms now dominate the transaction chain, reducing costs and marginalising physical distributors, of which only ten remain active in the country. Consumer data reveal an average gamer age of 33, a gender split of one‑third women, and annual spending of roughly CZK 4 billion, with a strong preference for story‑driven titles.
Human‑capital constraints emerge as a critical bottleneck: the industry confronts intense competition for skilled staff, a fragmented education pipeline, and limited visibility of creative industries within public policy. Unlike neighboring Poland and Germany, which allocate substantial public funds to game‑industry support, the Czech Republic offers virtually no dedicated subsidies for research, development or innovation, despite the sector’s outsized contribution to national exports. The findings suggest that sustained growth will depend on coordinated investment in education, clearer industry‑government linkages, and targeted public financing to bolster the sector’s competitive edge.
- The Czech video game industry experienced rapid growth between 2017 and 2020, with annual turnover rising from CZK 2.26 billion to over CZK 5 billion, representing a 29% average annual growth rate.
- The sector is highly export-oriented, with approximately 95% of revenue generated from international markets, primarily the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
- As of 2020, the industry comprised roughly 110 domestic studios employing 1,750 specialists, with revenue already tripling that of the national film industry by 2019.
- The publishing landscape has shifted away from traditional full-development financing toward a model where publishers primarily handle marketing and launch, while online platforms have marginalized physical distribution.
- Human capital remains a critical bottleneck due to a fragmented education pipeline and intense competition for skilled talent, compounded by a lack of dedicated public subsidies for research and development compared to neighboring countries.
Czech Video Game Industry: PC, Console and Mobile Game Developers in Czech Republic 2019
PC, CONSOLE AND MOBILE GAME DEVELOPERS IN CZECH REPUBLIC 2019 DEVELOPERS IN CZECH REPUBLIC 2019 This Study was prepared by the Institute for Digital Economy (www.digitalniekonomika.cz) in cooperation with the Czech Game Developers Association (www.gda.cz) with the support of Creative Europe – MEDIA (www.kreativnievropa.cz).
- The Czech video game industry, despite lacking government support, is a significant part of the digital economy, with Czech companies comprising roughly 10% of all game companies in Central and Eastern Europe and generating twice the revenue of the Czech film industry.
- In 2018, 31 games were created in the Czech Republic, contributing to a total of 136 games released by Czech studios between 2015 and 2018; PC and console game development (67%) dominates, though over half of studios also focus on mobile platforms (61%).
- The industry faces a major obstacle in the lack of skilled developers, with almost 1,500 individuals working in game development in 2018 (83% male), and over 60% of Czech game development companies experiencing labor shortages.
- The Czech game industry is characterized by many small and micro firms (54 micro businesses, 16 small businesses), with only one large business (over 250 employees) and five medium-sized businesses (50-249 employees), influenced by labor and financing shortages.
- The Czech educational system offers very few specialized study programs for game development (only three identified), contributing to the shortage of qualified professionals.
Jahresbericht der Deutschen Games-Branche 2018
01 Gamer in Deutschland 6 02 Markt für Computer- und 12 .2 Umsätze mit virtuellen Gütern und Zusatzinhalten sowie Abonnements .3 Umsätze mit Gebühren für Online-Netzwerke 03 Games-Branche in Deutschland 22 .1 Beschäftigtenzahlen und Unternehmen .4 Die 10 Forderungen der Games-Branche 04 eSports 36 05 gamescom 40 06 Deutscher Computerspielpreis 42 07 Unterhaltungssof...
- The German games market generated 2.2 billion Euros in 2017, growing 10% from 2016. This growth was driven by a 21% increase in revenue from virtual goods and additional content (reaching 1.01 billion Euros) and a 57% increase in revenue from online network fees (reaching 179 million Euros).
- Smartphone gaming has surpassed PC as the most popular gaming platform in Germany, with 18.2 million smartphone gamers compared to 17.3 million PC gamers in 2017. Console gaming also saw significant engagement with 16 million players.
- The German games industry is largely mid-sized, with 90% of companies generating up to 5 million Euros in annual revenue. It also boasts a high export quota, with 46% of its revenue earned outside Germany, significantly higher than the music (9%) and film/TV (4%) industries.
- The market share of German game developments continues to decline, reaching 5.4% in 2017 (down from 6.9% in 2014). This is particularly evident in mobile gaming, where the share of German-developed apps dropped from 4.2% to 3.7% due to increased competition and high marketing costs.
- The gamescom event attracted over 355,000 visitors in 2017, maintaining its position as the world's largest event for games. The number of exhibitors also grew by 6% to 703.
Le Marché Illicite de la Distribution Digitale de Jeux Vidéo sur PC: France
SYNDICAT NATIONAL DU JEU VIDÉO jeux pc et parasitisme 6 1.1 canaux d’exploitation officiels provoqué par le marché des jeux vidéo pc illicite par téléchargement 11 1.2 émergence et consolidation 23 1.3 agissements illégaux à la base développement du marché illicite efficacement contre le 30 2.1 tarir les sources marché illicite d’approvisionnement 33 2.2 permettre une meilleure distribution officiels et de leur Ce document est destiné à des plate...
- The digital PC game market in France is significantly impacted by an illicit market, where game keys are resold at prices up to 60% lower than official retail prices, often before a game's release, leading consumers to perceive official prices as too high.
- This illicit market is fueled by geographical price differences (e.g., keys sold for €19 in Poland vs. €49 in France) and physical wholesalers reselling keys from boxed games to unofficial sites, with German wholesaler Gross Electronic GmbH identified as a major supplier to MMOGA.com from 2013-2015.
- Major illicit platforms like MMOGA (sold for €306M in 2015 with over €100M revenue) and G2A operate from offshore locations (e.g., Hong Kong, Eastern Europe) to avoid European VAT and consumer protection laws, despite often having significant European customer bases (e.g., over 60% French audience for some sites).
- These illicit sites exploit loopholes in VAT collection by registering offshore, though EU rules since 2015 require VAT to be paid based on the buyer's location; they also benefit from search engines like Google and specialized price comparison sites (e.g., Allkeyshop, DLcompare) promoting their discounted offers.
- The illicit market is characterized by widespread VAT fraud and non-compliance with consumer protection laws, with authorities largely inactive in pursuing these offshore entities despite clear evidence of local ties (e.g., French-speaking support, local payment systems like Hipay, significant local social media presence).