Germany has a global reputation for being good at a number of things. They excel in a number of professionals and pastimes, largely borne from the fact that they’re hard workers and continue to practice until they excel. One thing they’re very good at is gaming. And enough of them certainly spend a great deal of time practicing it.
Yes, Germans are known for their love of gaming. If you speak to a German, there’s a pretty good chance that he or she (a high number of German gamers are women) are an active gamer. Floating devices like portable gaming consoles and tablets are popular, as are smartphones, and laptop and personal computers remain popular too. They also enjoy cross-platform gaming and playing at a German casino online. Germans are not only happy gamers, they’re also happy to pay it, with the industry achieving impressive sales figures.
Gaming Popular Among Older Age Groups
More than one in two Germans play video and computer games. Overall, 58% of the German population from 6-69 reach for their smartphone, PC, or console to take part in the digital worlds. Around 5% more people in Germany started playing video and computer games in 2020 alone.
While there’s high participation in all genders and age groups, the largest group is made up of 50- 59-year-olds. Around one in five in this group play video and computer games. This particular group, along with players aged 60-69, comprise a third of all German video gamers. They’re responsible for the continual rise in the average age of players in Germany over the past few years.
Lockdown Gaming Boom
There were never as many Germans playing video games as there were in 2020. In the space of 12 months, there was a 5% growth, which is significant. During lockdowns, in particular, games entertained millions of people, providing a welcome distraction from what was happing in the world, and also giving friends and family a way of connecting when they possibly weren’t allowed to visit each other’s households. In this sense, gaming played an important social role, while also attracting millions of new fans. Not only do Germans love playing video games, the country is also active when it comes to gaming production and distribution.
A Big, Local Industry
Germany also has a successful local gaming industry. Thanks to big companies like Gamigo, DTP Entertainment, and Bigpoint Games all founded in the ‘90s- ‘00s, Hamburg became one of the biggest gaming regions in the country, along with Berlin and Cologne.
Success at National Level
Germany is a popular location for innovative start-up gaming companies, thanks to a combination of superb infrastructure, moderate costs, and a large pool of talent for international gaming companies. With 34 million active gamers in the country, Germany is the largest gaming market in Europe, with a greater online games surge than any other country in the continent.
Thanks to a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, a high-skilled, internationally-minded workforce, numerous industry events, and government support, Germany continues to attract international gaming companies.