Video Games in Germany

PRE-COVID-19 PERFORMANCE

Digital games and AR/VR sets drive growth in 2019, with e-sports development and battle royale games showing notable potential

In 2019, video games in Germany showed stabilised growth for once, due to the continuing strong performance of digital games and AR/VR headsets, but especially given the fact that gaming increasingly reaches society’s middle class. A fitting example is the recent development of Germany’s e-sports scene.

VR headsets continue to see high growth in 2019 and has huge potential that depends on various factors

AR/VR headsets has shown strong growth within the past years in Germany and saw double-digit value growth again in 2019 due to technological improvements, as the headsets have become entirely wireless. However, future development of VR headsets is strongly correlated with its application possibilities for the consumer vis a vis the software.

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Nintendo led retail values sales of video games hardware in 2019, due to the strong performance of the console Nintendo Switch, the launch of which in 2017 allowed Nintendo to surpass Sony to reach the top spot in video games in 2018. In 2019 Nintendo extended its lead with Switch’s further value share gain in static consoles, boosted by its launch of Nintendo Switch Lite.

2020 AND BEYOND

COVID-19 impact

In 2020, sales of video games are now expected to grow by 5% in constant 2019 value terms in light of the impact of COVID-19. This compares to a 2% rise in sales forecast in our 2019 edition of toys and games.

Affected products within video games

Specifically, in 2020 the pandemic has been having the most positive impact on online and mobile games, the latest static consoles and AR/VR headsets, with demand for these most significantly heightened as old and new gaming consumers have searched for new ways to entertain themselves. In-game purchases of video software have also accelerated as a result of the additional time gamers have been spending on video games.

Recovery and opportunities

Post-COVID-19, the video game categories most positively impacted by lockdowns and increased time spent indoors – namely, AR/VR headsets, online and mobile games and static consoles – are set to see the highest value growth as well. However, the growth spurt brought on by the pandemic conditions is expected to have been temporary, and their growth rates are expected to slow down between 2020 and 2024.

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