German games market takes a breather in 2024, following years of growth

• Sales revenue from games, games hardware and online gaming services drops 6 per cent, to 9.4 billion euros, in 2024
• Market for online gaming services increases by 12 per cent
• The German games market has grown by over 50 per cent since 2019

Berlin, 11 March 2025 – After the German games market had reached a whole new level in recent years - sales have grown by around 50 per cent since 2019 alone - it slowed its pace in 2024. Sales revenue from games, games hardware and online gaming services totalled 9.4 billion euros in Germany in 2024, a decrease of 6 per cent compared to the previous year. This was announced today by game – The German Games Industry Association. The downturn was especially pronounced in purchases of games for PCs, consoles and smartphones, as well as in hardware purchases. Running counter to the overall market trend, revenue from online gaming services saw a double-digit increase, rising 12 per cent from the level of 2023, to 965 million euros. This segment includes categories such as fee-based subscription services providing access to a broad game selection, cloud-based games and functions enabling, for example, online multiplayer gaming and the saving of game progress in the cloud.

‘After years of frequently strong growth, the German games market took a breather in 2024,’ says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. ‘This was due in part to the fact that there were fewer game hits last year and that the demand for game consoles has normalised again. The greatest growth is seen in online game services like cloud gaming – which underscores the perpetual dynamics and innovative strength of the games industry. In combination with new game consoles and blockbuster titles that have already been announced, this promises renewed overall growth in the near future.’

Game Sales revenue from games declines by 4 per cent

Sales revenue from games for PCs, consoles and mobile devices totalled 6.5 billion euros in 2024, or 4 per cent less than in the previous year. The decline was especially steep in games purchases, which saw a 17 per cent drop in revenue, to 921 million euros. The market segment for in-game and in-app purchases, however, generated sales revenue of around 4.6 billion euros in 2024, a decrease of just 3 per cent. This submarket has shown strong growth in recent years. Whether as free-to-play or full-price games, ever more titles are offering additional content. The offerings vary widely – from ‘skins’, which can completely change the appearance of a player character, to season passes providing unlimited access to content over a period of weeks, to full expansions with new campaigns or missions. In-game purchases allow players to customize or expand their game experience; from the perspective of game companies, in-game purchases are an important source of revenue, helping to offset the economic risk posed by the sharp rise in development costs in recent years.

Demand for game consoles normalises

Sales revenue from games hardware decreased by 10 per cent overall, to about 2.9 billion euros. The various segments showed quite different development. The greatest decline was seen in game consoles, revenue from which dropped to 807 million euros, 26 per cent below the previous year’s mark. However, 2023 was an exceptional year for game consoles: after several years in which many models weren’t consistently available to consumers, all current models became continuously available again in 2023. Many players purchased new consoles, resulting in a catch-up effect. This is clearly illustrated by the comparison between sales revenue from game consoles in 2022 and 2024: despite the sharp drop of 26 per cent last year, revenue in 2024 was still above that in 2022. Sales revenue from game console accessories in fact rose in 2024, to 391 million euros – an increase of 5 per cent. The market for gaming PCs and laptops was stable, with revenue of 540 million euros, or just 1 per cent less than in 2023. Accessories for gaming PCs – including special input devices, graphic cards, etc. – didn’t fare quite so well, with revenue falling by 4 per cent, to just under 1.2 billion euros.

About the market data

The market data is based on statistics compiled by YouGov Shopper, Nielsen IQ and data.ai (a Sensor Tower company). The methods used by YouGov Shopper to collect data on Germany’s digital games market are unique worldwide and stand out for their quality. They include an ongoing survey of 25,000 consumers who are representative of the German population as a whole regarding their video game purchasing and usage habits, as well as a retail panel. The data collection methods provide a unique insight into the German market for computer and video games.

game – The German Games Industry Association

We are the association of the German games industry. Our members represent the entire video game ecosystem, from development studios and publishers to esports event organisers, educational institutions and other related entities. We are co-organisers of gamescom, the world’s biggest event for video games. We are a shareholder in the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK), the Foundation for Digital Games Culture, the esports player foundation, game events and the collecting society VHG, as well as co-host of the German Computer Game Awards. Serving as a central point of contact for media, as well as political and social institutions, we provide comprehensive expertise in areas including market development, game culture and media literacy, and address any inquiries or concerns. Together we are making Germany the heart of gaming worldwide. With games, we enrich the lives of all people.

Press contact:

Martin Puppe
game – The German Games Industry Association
Friedrichstraße 165
10117 Berlin
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)30 2408779-20
Email: martin.puppe@game.de
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