More Germans are playing video games than ever before

Berlin, 13 May 2025 – It’s a large, diverse and ever-growing community: about 6 in 10 people (59 per cent) aged 6 to 69 in Germany play video games. Overall, the number of players in this country has risen significantly in the last several years. Across all age groups, some 37.5 million Germans – more than ever before – play video games on consoles, PCs and smartphones. This represents an increase of around 9 per cent in the number of players since 2020. These are the figures released today by game – the German Games Industry Association, based on data collected by YouGov. The development among players over 60 is especially dynamic, with this group having grown from 6.4 to 7.7 million in just 12 months.


The growth in the proportion of older gamers is partly due to the fact that many gamers have been playing games for decades. On the other hand, more and more older people are discovering the joy of video games. Thus the trend of recent years continues, with the average age of German players also 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 (79 per cent) are over 18 years old. With regard to the gender of players in Germany, the distribution has remained balanced in the last several years, at around 48 per cent women and 52 per cent men.
 

‘Games fascinate millions of people in Germany - young and old, women and men. The majority of Germans have been playing games for a long time and the number is increasing. The steadily rising average age of gamers is also exciting: we are fast approaching the age of 40. This makes clear what still surprises many people: whether they are 17 or 70, games inspire people of all ages and the proportion of older players is growing particularly strongly,’ says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game - The German Games Industry Association.

 

After attaining unprecedented heights in recent years, the German games market saw a dip in its growth trajectory in 2024. Last year, sales revenue from games, gaming hardware and online gaming services in Germany totalled 9.4 billion euros – a 6 per cent drop from the year before. This downturn was especially pronounced in purchases of games for PCs, consoles and smartphones (−17 per cent, to 921 million euros), as well as in hardware purchases (−10 per cent, to 2.9 billion euros). Running counter to the overall market trend, revenue from online gaming services saw a double-digit increase, rising 12 per cent from the level of 2023, to 965 million euros.
 

The market data is based on statistics compiled by YouGov Shopper, Nielsen IQ and data.ai (a Sensor Tower company). The methods used by YouGov Shopper to collect data on Germany’s digital game market are unique worldwide and stand out for their quality. They include an ongoing survey of 25,000 consumers who are representative of the German population regarding their video game purchasing and usage habits, as well as a retail panel. The data collection methods provide a unique insight into the German market for computer and video games.

 

We are the association of the German games industry. Our members represent the entire video game ecosystem, from development studios and publishers to esports event organisers, educational institutions and other related entities. We are co-organisers of gamescom, the world’s biggest event for video games. We are a shareholder in the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK), the Foundation for Digital Games Culture, the esports player foundation, game events and the collecting society VHG, as well as co-host of the German Computer Game Awards. Serving as a central point of contact for media, as well as political and social institutions, we provide comprehensive expertise in areas including market development, game culture and media literacy, and address any inquiries or concerns. Together we are making Germany the heart of gaming worldwide. With games, we enrich the lives of all people.