Computer and video games market grows in first half of 2015

• Sales of games increase by 3 per cent
• BIU and GfK forecasting double-digit growth in 2015
• Current generation of game consoles remains a growth driver
• Three quarters of app sales in Germany attributable to games
• gamescom 2015 opens its doors in Cologne on 5 August

Berlin, 28 July 2015 – The market for computer and video games grew in the first six months of 2015: sales of 534 million euros were generated with games for PCs, consoles, handheld devices, smartphones and tablets. This equates to a year-on-year increase of 3 per cent. The figures were announced today by the BIU, the German Games Industry Association, drawing on GfK market data presented at the press conference ahead of next week’s gamescom. The figure of 534 million euros does not include sales of virtual products and extra content, or subscription fees and games hardware, the figures for which will not be available for publication for another few weeks.
 
This year, together with market research company GfK, the BIU conducted its first survey of experts regarding future market developments. According to this survey, the overall German market for computer and video games is expected to hit double-digit growth in 2015. If the market performs well through the rest of the year, it could even surpass last year’s growth rate of 11 per cent. [quotation cite=”Dr. Maximilian Schenk, Managing Director of the BIU”] “The market for computer and video games continues on the strong growth trajectory seen last year.[/quotation]‘The market for computer and video games continues on the strong growth trajectory seen last year,’ says BIU Managing Director Dr Maximilian Schenk, summarising the market figures. ‘Sales within the market as a whole for the year are likely to hit the double-digit growth mark. There may even be an improvement on last year’s increase of 11 per cent.’

Game consoles still a growth driver

The market for game consoles and associated games is once again one of the strongest growth drivers. Sales generated with games for stationary consoles, such as the PlayStation 4, Wii U and Xbox One, totalled 306 million euros in the first six months of the year. Compared with 263 million euros over the same period last year, this equates to an increase of 16 per cent. Everything points towards growth in sales of console hardware too. In 2014, sales revenue from game consoles increased by more than 30 per cent but sales volumes were actually no higher than in 2013. The forecast for 2015 is for a sales volume increase in the low single-digit percentage range. Maximilian Schenk: ‘Consumers initially needed some time to find their bearings when the new generation of consoles was released – and this is reflected in the market developments. Since last year, game consoles and associated games have once again become one of the strongest growth drivers in the market as a whole. And this development will continue in 2015.’

Sales of game downloads increasing – games on DVD and Blu-ray account for three quarters of the market

There is still a strong trend of buying computer and video games as downloads. The proportion of sales attributable to download purchases of games for PCs and consoles increased from 23 to 25 per cent in the first half of 2015. In total, sales of 128 million euros were generated with game downloads for these two platforms over this period. This equates to a year-on-year increase of 6 per cent. However, the majority of sales relating to PC and console games is still generated with games sold on data storage devices. 75 per cent of sales revenue (385 million euros) was generated with games sold on DVD and Blu-ray. As such, sales in this segment remained stable year on year in the first six months of 2015. Sales of games on data storage devices are even forecast to see a reasonable single-digit percentage increase this year.

Majority of sales generated in app stores attributable to game apps

Game apps are the biggest growth driver in the app and smartphone market. They are now an integral part of life for millions of Germans – across all age brackets. The proportion of sales attributable to digital games for smartphones and tablets highlights how relevant these have become: in the second quarter of 2015, three quarters (75 per cent) of sales generated in the Apple and Google app stores in Germany related to game apps. A mere 25 per cent of sales related to all other app categories. This was announced by the BIU at the press conference, drawing on the gamescom special report The mobile gaming landscape in Germany produced by App Annie. According to the report, Germany is Europe’s second-largest market in terms of game app sales, right behind the UK, this year’s gamescom partner country. Globally, Germany is ranked seventh.
 
The full gamescom special report The mobile gaming landscape in Germany published by App Annie can be downloaded from: http://go.appannie.com/AA_game_mobile_gaming_market_outlook_Germany_WW

Note on market data

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.

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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