The German gaming market dropped in 2024 after hitting a new high in recent years, with sales increasing by about 50% since 2019 alone.
In 2024, Germany’s total sales revenue from games, game hardware, and online gaming services was 9.4 billion euros, a 6% drop from the year before. The German Games Industry Association made the announcement. Particularly noticeable was the decline in hardware purchases as well as PC, console, and smartphone game purchases.
Revenue from online gaming services increased by double digits, up 12% from 2023 to 965 million euros, which was against the general market trend.
This section covers topics including cloud-based games and features that allow for online multiplayer gaming and the storage of game progress in the cloud, as well as fee-based subscription services that give users access to a large selection of games.
“The German games market took a break in 2024 after years of often robust expansion. This was partly because last year’s gaming hits were lower and the market for game consoles has returned to normal.
Online gaming services like cloud gaming have had the biggest growth, highlighting the games industry’s ongoing dynamics and inventiveness. This promises renewed general growth in the foreseeable future, especially when combined with newly announced blockbuster titles and new gaming platforms, according to Felix Falk, Managing Director of gaming.
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In 2024, sales of video games for PCs, consoles, and mobile platforms came to 6.5 billion euros, a 4% decrease from the year before. Purchases of games showed a particularly sharp dip, with revenue falling 17% to 921 million euros. However, in 2024, the in-game and in-app purchase market category brought in about 4.6 billion euros in sales income, a mere 3% decline.
The submarket has grown significantly in the last several years. More and more games are providing extra content, whether they are full-price or free to play. From “skins,” which can drastically alter a player character’s appearance, to season passes, which allow weeks of unrestricted access to material, to full expansions with new campaigns or missions, the options are quite diverse.
From the standpoint of game businesses, in-game purchases are a significant source of income that helps to mitigate the economic risk created by the recent dramatic increase in development expenses. They also enable users to personalize or enhance their gaming experience.
Overall, game hardware sales revenue dropped by 10% to roughly 2.9 billion euros. The growth of the various components varied greatly. The biggest loss was in game console sales, which fell to 807 million euros, 26% less than the previous year.
2023 was a remarkable year for game consoles, nevertheless, as all of the current models were once again continually available to consumers after a number of years during which several models were not. There was a catch-up effect as a result of many gamers buying new systems.
The comparison of game console sales revenue in 2022 and 2024 makes this quite evident: even though revenue in 2024 fell by 26% from 2022, it was still higher than in 2022.
In actuality, gaming console accessory sales revenue increased by 5% in 2024, reaching 391 million euros. With 540 million euros in revenue, the gaming PC and laptop market remained steady and just 1% lower than in 2023.
Gaming PC accessories, such as graphic cards and special input devices, did not do so well; their revenue dropped by 4% to slightly under 1.2 billion euros.
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