Market for computer and video games continued its growth in 2015

• Overall German market for computer and video games grew by 4.5 per cent to 2.81 billion euros, in 2015
• Sales revenue generated by digital games grew by 3.5 per cent to 1.99 billion euros
• 5 per cent more sales revenue was generated by gaming consoles in 2015

Berlin, 6 April 2016 – The German market for computer and video games once again exhibited significant growth in 2015. In total, computer and video games and the associated hardware generated 2.81 billion euros in sales revenue last year – an increase of 4.5 per cent compared to the market volume in 2014 (2.69 billion euros). This information, which was based on data compiled by market research institutes GfK and GfK Entertainment, was reported today by BIU, the German Games Industry Association, in the run-up to the award ceremony for the German Computer Games Awards.
 
[quotation cite=”Dr. Maximilian Schenk, Managing Director of the BIU”] “The continuous innovation and exceptional creativity in the games industry generates an endless stream of new products, platforms and market models.[/quotation]‘For many years, computer and video games have been the most dynamic cultural and media-based market in Germany, and growth in this market continued unabated in 2015,’ says Dr Maximilian Schenk, Managing Director of BIU. ‘The continuous innovation and exceptional creativity in the games industry generates an endless stream of new products, platforms and market models. Free-to-play games are an excellent example here, as are hybrid toys.’

Markets for digital games and gaming consoles both exhibited growth

The market for games and the market for gaming consoles in Germany grew in 2015.
 
Gaming consoles generated significantly more sales revenue in 2015 compared to the previous year. Whilst in 2014 sales revenue from these devices totalled 774 million euros that figure rose to 825 million euros in 2015 – an increase of 6.5 per cent.
 
In Germany, sales revenue from computer and video games totalled 1.99 billion euros in 2015 – an increase of 3.5 per cent compared to 2014, when sales revenue amounted to 1.92 billion euros. The various sub-segments of this market developed at different rates. Compared to 2014, sales of computer and video games declined by 3.5 per cent last year. However, this still remained the largest sub-segment of the market by a wide margin; sales of PC, console and mobile games generated 1.21 billion euros in revenue in 2015. Sales revenue generated by virtual goods and extra content, on the other hand, rose particularly sharply. This type of content is most often sold in free-to-play games – as the name indicates, users can play these games free of charge and only spend money to purchase optional additional levels or special character designs. Sales revenue in this segment increased by 18 per cent to 562 million euros. Unlike previous years, sales revenue from game subscriptions went up in 2015. This revenue model generated approximately 145 million euros last year – 5 per cent more than the year before. Data on the ‘hybrid toys’ or ‘toys-to-life’ market segment was collected for the first time in 2015; hybrid toys are collectible figures that are broadcast into the game via technologies such as near field communication (NFC) to create add-on content. This relatively new segment grew to 72 million euros last year.

Note on market data:

The data used is based on statistics compiled by the GfK Consumer Panel and GfK Entertainment. The methods used by GfK to collect data on Germany’s digital games market are unique in terms both of their quality and their global use. They include an ongoing survey of 25,000 consumers who are representative of the German population as a whole regarding their digital game purchasing and usage habits, and also a consumer panel. The data collection methods provide a unique insight into the German market for computer and video games. Discrepancies between this year’s sales revenue figures for the purchase of computer and video games in 2014 and the figures provided last year for 2014 are the result of a methodological adjustment.

About the BIU

BIU – Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware (German Games Industry Association) is the association of the German computer and video games industry. Its 26 members are developers, publishers and providers of digital games, and they represent over 85 per cent of the German market. The BIU is, for example, the sponsor of gamescom. As an expert partner for media and for political and social institutions, the BIU answers all questions on the topic of digital games.

Press contact

Martin Puppe
BIU – Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware e. V.
Charlottenstrasse 62
10117 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)30 2408779 20
Fax: +49 (0)30 2408779 11
Email: puppe@biu-online.de
Twitter: @game_eV
Facebook.com/BIUeV

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