01 Video game players in Germany

Computer and video games are more prevalent in this country than ever before, with 6 out of 10 Germans aged 6 to 69 now reaching for controller, mouse or smartphone to play.

Across all age groups, around 37.5 million Germans play games, and this diverse community continues to grow. The number of players has increased by 9 per cent since 2020. Games are a popular pastime for young and old alike. The development among players over 60 is especially dynamic, with this group having grown from 6.4 to 7.7 million in 2024. On the one hand, this is because many people remain loyal video game players over several decades. On the other, ever more older people are newly discovering the joy of video games. Thus the trend of recent years continues, with the average age of German players now surpassing 39 for the first time – rising from 38.2 in 2023 to 39.5 in 2024. In total, 8 in 10 players in Germany are over 18 years old. With regard to gender, the distribution of players is balanced, at around 48 per cent women and 52 per cent men.

The diversity of video game players is also reflected in the use of various gaming platforms. The most popular device for playing computer and video games in Germany is the smartphone. With around 22.9 million players in 2024, its year-long success as a gaming platform remains unbroken. Game consoles are also charting a successful course and are closing in on the top spot among the most widely used platforms: some 20.5 million Germans played on consoles in 2024, more than ever before, and up from 18.7 million in 2023.

In recent years, the console has shown strong overall development, with the number of console players in Germany having risen by 29 per cent since 2019. This can be traced in significant part to the great popularity of the current console generation including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox, whose makers have all come out with new, technically optimised versions or matching accessories in the last few years. In 2024, the PC saw a drop in users in Germany, to 13.1 million people, 400,000 fewer than in 2023. It thus continued its downward trend of recent years, registering a decline of 20 per cent compared to 2019, when there were 16.3 million PC game players. On the other hand, more people are playing on tablet computers again. Their numbers have risen by 300,000, to a total of 10.3 million. However, many Germans don’t limit their play to just one device: about 19 million use two or more platforms.

The top 20 bestselling new games of 2024 in the official game charts show which games and genres are particularly popular among Germans. EA SPORTS FC 25 from Electronic Arts took first place on PCs and consoles. The popular football simulation has consistently held its spot at the top of the German monthly charts since its release in late September 2024. Second place in 2024 went to the action-packed first-person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Activision Blizzard) after a huge sales success. The cooperative third-person shooter Helldivers 2 (Sony Interactive Entertainment) came in third place among the year’s most successful games. Fourth place in the annual charts went to the new Farming Simulator 25 (GIANTS Software), in which players can try their hand at idyllic yet challenging agricultural work. The party game Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo) rounded off the top five most popular new game titles. From thrilling football tournaments and action-packed team adventures to relaxed farm work or colourful party games for the whole family, 2024 offered outstanding highlights for all video game players in Germany.