IIDEA
IIDEA is the Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association, the trade body for the video game industry in Italy. It publishes market research such as its report on video game players in Italy.
Documents
Games in Italy 2024: ICE Catalogue Gamescom 2024
Italy's video game sector reached more than €2.3 billion in turnover in 2023, a 5% increase over 2022 and 28% above 2019 levels, according to figures cited in the catalogue.
- Italy's video game sector reached more than €2.3 billion in turnover in 2023, up 5% from 2022 and 28% above 2019 levels.
- The Italian games industry comprises roughly 160 companies employing about 2,400 professionals.
- The catalogue is the Italian Pavilion listing for Gamescom 2024 and features 15 Italian studios and publishers, spanning mobile, extended reality startups, and established publishers.
Italian Game Developers Census 2014
The Italian video game industry in 2014 represents a burgeoning, export-oriented sector defined by a high concentration of startups and a strong emphasis on mobile development.
- In 2014, the Italian video game industry comprised over 100 studios and approximately 700 professionals, generating an annual turnover of roughly €20 million.
- The sector is characterized by a high concentration of startups and a strong strategic focus on mobile platform development.
- The industry is undergoing a transition toward professionalization, moving from informal operations to more structured business models.
Censimento Game Developer Italiani 2016
The 2016 Census of Italian Game Developers provides a comprehensive analysis of the domestic video game industry, documenting a sector characterized by significant growth, youthful entrepreneurship, and a strong international orientation.
- The Italian game development sector is highly fragmented and early-stage, with 47% of studios employing five or fewer staff and 44% generating less than 10,000 euros in annual revenue.
- While 86% of studios target the consumer market, 61% of total studio activity is now dedicated to business-to-business (B2B) services.
- The industry is geographically concentrated in Northern Italy, with Milan and Rome serving as the primary hubs for development activity.
Rapporto sugli Esports in Italia: 2019
The Italian esports landscape experienced significant professionalization in 2019, characterized by a burgeoning audience of 1.2 million individuals.
- The Italian esports market reached 1.2 million viewers in 2019, with 350,000 avid fans engaging with competitive content on a daily basis.
- Twitch emerged as a primary engagement hub, recording a 32% increase in esports-related discussions during the 2019 period.
- The audience is primarily composed of males aged 16 to 40, with the highest concentrations of enthusiasts residing in the Lombardy and Lazio regions.
Rapporto sugli Esports in Italia: 2020
The Italian esports market experienced a period of accelerated expansion throughout 2020, largely catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Italian esports market saw a 33% increase in its avid fan base to 466,000 individuals in 2020, with the broader audience reaching 1.41 million.
- The typical Italian esports consumer is a 29-year-old male with above-average disposable income who maintains an average of 2.8 gaming accounts.
- Fans dedicate an average of 6.5 hours per week to esports content, demonstrating a consistent consumption pattern and high engagement levels.
Rapporto sugli Esports in Italia 2021
The Italian esports sector experienced a period of robust expansion and professionalization throughout 2021, demonstrating significant resilience despite the global challenges posed by the pandemic.
- The Italian esports fanbase reached 1.62 million individuals aged 16–40 in 2021, with the 'avid fan' segment growing by 15% to 475,000 people.
- Avid fans in Italy spend 62% more on gaming-related products and services monthly than the general fan base, maintaining an average of 3.3 gaming service accounts per user.
- The competitive gaming landscape is highly volatile, experiencing a 72% year-over-year turnover in top-streamed titles as games like Call of Duty: Warzone gained traction alongside staples like League of Legends.
I Videogiochi in Italia 2018
The Italian video game market experienced a period of robust expansion in 2018, reaching a total turnover of 1.7 billion euros.
- The Italian video game market reached a total turnover of 1.7 billion euros in 2018, representing an 18.9% year-over-year growth.
- Digital software sales were the primary growth driver, surging by 86.6% as consumers shifted toward mobile, PC, and console digital distribution.
- The industry maintains a user base of 16.3 million players, representing 37% of the Italian population aged 6 to 64.
I Videogiochi in Italia nel 2020: Dati sul Mercato e sui Consumatori
The Italian video game market underwent a period of substantial expansion in 2020, achieving a total turnover of 2.179 billion euros.
- The Italian video game market reached a total turnover of 2.179 billion euros in 2020, marking a 21.9 percent increase over the previous year.
- Growth was primarily driven by the software sector, with significant contributions from digital downloads and mobile applications.
- While the total number of active players remained stable at 16.7 million, average weekly playtime increased to eight hours during the pandemic.
Landscape del Settore Esports in Italia 2022
The 2022 landscape analysis of the Italian esports sector provides a comprehensive evaluation of the industry’s economic impact, stakeholder perceptions, and market growth.
- The Italian esports sector generated a total economic impact of 47 to 51 million euros in 2022, marking a 4% year-over-year increase.
- Direct economic impact reached 38 million euros, with esports teams accounting for 55% of that total, while indirect impact exceeded 10 million euros, driven primarily by publishers at 64%.
- The industry exhibits high operational efficiency, with a value added per employee ranging from 143,000 to 145,000 euros.
Fifth Biennial Census of the Italian Video Game Sector
The Fifth Biennial Census of the Italian Video Game Sector, conducted by the Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IIDEA), provides a comprehensive analysis of the growth and maturation of the Italian game development industry.
- The Italian game development industry grew to 1,600 professionals across approximately 160 studios in 2021, up from 1,100 professionals in 2018.
- Italian game development firms are maturing, with 73% of companies operating for more than four years and a significant shift away from microenterprises toward SMEs.
- The industry is heavily export-oriented, with 94% of revenue generated from international markets, primarily Europe (60%) and North America (25%), while the domestic Italian market accounts for only 6% of turnover.
Videogiocatori in Italia
The Italian gaming landscape is characterized by a strong emphasis on the psychological and social benefits of interactive entertainment.
- 69% of Italian gamers report that interactive entertainment stimulates the mind and improves teamwork capabilities.
- Gaming is primarily utilized as a tool for stress relief, anxiety reduction, and the enhancement of cognitive skills like creativity and problem-solving.
- Approximately 50% of Italian gamers engage in online multiplayer sessions on a weekly basis, highlighting the medium's role as a social platform.