Living a life devoid of gambling activities?
In recent years, Germany has seen a resurgence in the video game market, with an increase in gamers and a growing market size. According to a survey conducted by the Bitkom association, 52% of individuals aged 16 and above in Germany are gamers, a 10% increase compared to 2015 [1]. However, a more recent survey by the same association in 2023 revealed that only 39% of gamers held the same opinion, showing a slight decrease [2].
The importance of computer and video games is growing year by year, according to the survey. In fact, the market is rebounding in 2025 after a dip in revenue during 2024 [3][5]. The German games market grew to approximately €4.6 billion in H1 2025, showing recovery and growth potential [3][5]. Hardware sales increased by 17% in the same period, online gaming services rose 4%, while traditional game sales slightly declined [3].
Mobile gaming, in particular, has seen strong and sustained growth over the past few years. In 2024, revenue from mobile games reached a record 3 billion euros, up from 2.9 billion euros in 2023, representing a 63% increase since 2019 [2]. Despite a slight decline in the number of mobile gamers by about 300,000 to 24.3 million users, mobile remains the most popular gaming platform in Germany, largely driven by free-to-play games with in-app purchases accounting for 98% of sales [2].
Another significant shift has been from physical to digital game purchases. In 2024, about 70% of game purchases in Germany were digital, with nearly 99% of PC games bought digitally. Console game physical purchases still dominate but have decreased to 56%, down 4% from the previous year [4].
Bernhard Rohleder, CEO of the Bitkom association, stated that one in five respondents has already dreamed of a video game. Fifty-eight percent of gamers play less than two hours a day, while 28% prefer to play online with others. Interestingly, 7% of gamers play more than five hours a day, but Bernhard Rohleder reiterated that it's a small group that plays excessively [2].
The survey, which polled 1,200 respondents, did not provide information about changes in the proportion of gamers who dream about video games. However, the number of gamers remains stable, with 52% of the 1,200 respondents playing video or computer games at least occasionally [1].
The Bitkom association is the digital association in Germany, representing the interests of the digital economy, including the video game industry. With the growing market and shifting trends, it's clear that the future of gaming in Germany is promising.
[1] Source: Statista (2021) [2] Source: Bitkom (2023) [3] Source: GamesIndustry.biz (2025) [4] Source: Newzoo (2024)
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