Sales of video games and consoles in Germany reach a high of EUR 4.6 billion during the initial half of the year
In the first half of 2022, the gaming market in Germany experienced a growth of 4% to reach a total of 4.6 billion euros, with some segments showing more significant growth and others indicating a decline or stagnation.
According to data from ntv.de and dpa, the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 console contributed significantly to the increase in hardware sales, which saw a 17% rise to 1.2 billion euros. However, computer and video game sales decreased by 2% to 2.7 billion euros, due to fewer blockbuster games being released in the first half of the year.
The growth in the gaming market in Germany is largely driven by digital segments. Online services, including cloud gaming and subscriptions, grew by about 12% in 2024, reflecting increasing adoption of cloud-based gaming and subscription models. Microtransactions remain dominant on PC (70% of revenue) and nearly total mobile revenue (98%), showing key monetization via ongoing player spending rather than just full game purchases.
Mobile games also showed strong growth, with game app revenue surpassing €3 billion for the first time, constituting a 63% growth since 2019. Cloud gaming globally grew from about $2–3 billion in 2022 up to $8 billion by 2025, with 5G fueling this growth; Germany is an active market in this trend.
In the online casino market, Germany's online casino market is expected to grow significantly, with a projected €5 billion annual revenue by 2027, supported by regulatory clarity since 2021.
Felix Falk, the CEO of the game association, stated that more blockbuster games are expected to be released in the next months, which will boost gaming revenue. He attributes the increase in revenue to strong demand for gaming consoles.
Despite the overall market expansion rate slowing post-2021, the digital segments remain positive, indicating a continued interest in gaming among Germans. The gaming market in Germany has grown 58% from 2019 to 2024, but revenues have largely stagnated since 2021, indicating more limited growth in 2022 compared to previous years.
[1] Source: ntv.de and dpa [2] Source: Online Casino Reports [3] Source: Juniper Research [4] Source: German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community [5] Source: App Annie
- To harness the growing interest in digital segments, the local community might consider implementing a policy that promotes vocational training in technology, such as game development and cloud-based services, to prepare the workforce for the growing online casino market and the $8 billion expected global cloud gaming market by 2025.
- As the gaming market in Germany continues to expand, especially in the digital segments, it might be an opportune moment for tech enthusiasts, particularly those interested in gadgets and social-media, to explore vocational training in vocational training, vocational training, or vocational training, like app development or game design, to seize the growing trend in mobile games, with a record €3 billion in revenue in 2022.
