Central Europe
Germany: Game downloads surge in the Covid-19 year
- 6 in 10 PC and console games sold in 2020 were purchased as downloads
- Share of sales revenue from game downloads rises to over 40 per cent
- Great differences between PC and console games
- German games market grows to 8.5 billion euros in 2020
The trend of purchasing computer and video games by download accelerated significantly in the Covid-19 year 2020. Alongside the mail-order trade, the only option open to many games fans during periods of closed retail businesses was purchase via download to PCs and games consoles. This spurred a jump in the download share of sales in PC and console games from 45 to 58 per cent within 12 months ā meaning that 6 in 10 games purchases in 2020 were made via download. The download share of sales revenue is somewhat lower: downloads account for about 4 in 10 euros in sales made in Germany in 2020 with PC and console games, up from 33 per cent in 2019. As a general rule, the cheaper the game is, the greater the share of download purchases. 8 in 10 computer and video games costing up to 30 euros are purchased as downloads. These are the numbers released today by game ā the German Games Industry Association, based on data collected by the market research company GfK. There are big differences between PC and games consoles. For PC games, the download share of sales is 94 per cent. For games consoles like PlayStation, Switch and Xbox, on the other hand, only about 1 in 3 games (35 per cent) is purchased via download. However, this represents a considerable increase in comparison to 2019, when the share was 24 per cent.
āThe purchase of games via download has taken longer to establish itself in Germany than in other countries,ā says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. āMany players continue to buy games on data storage devices due to internet connections with too little bandwidth or the numerous businesses with games departments ā from electronics retailers to drugstores. In the Covid-19 year 2020, there was a tremendous surge in the share of download games. Not least, the shop closures during the shutdowns contributed strongly to this development.ā
German games market: big jump in sales revenue in 2020
The German games market recorded a strong jump in sales revenue in the Covid-19 year 2020: total sales revenue of around 8.5 billion euros was achieved in computer and video games and associated hardware, as already reported by game. This is an increase of 32 per cent compared to the previous year. Sales of more than 3.2 billion euros were registered with games consoles, gaming PCs and the corresponding peripheral equipment ā an increase of 26 per cent over 2019. The submarket for computer and video games showed even stronger growth, with purchases of games, in-game and in-app purchases, subscriptions and charges for online services climbing to 5.2 billion euros, an impressive 36 per cent rise compared to the previous year.
About the market data
The market data is based on statistics compiled by the GfK Consumer Panel. The methods used by GfK to collect data on Germanyās video games market are unique in terms of both their quality and their global use. They include an ongoing survey of 25,000 consumers who are representative of the German population as a whole 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.
game ā the German Games Industry Association
We are the association of the German games industry. Our members include developers, publishers and many other games industry actors such as esports event organisers, educational establishments and service providers. As a joint organiser of gamescom, we are responsible for the worldās biggest event for computer and video games. We are an expert partner for media and for political and social institutions, and answer questions relating to market development, games culture and media literacy. Our mission is to make Germany the best games location.
Central Europe
Scientific Games and National Lottery of Slovenia Strengthen Instant Game Partnership
Scientific Games and Loterija Slovenije, the national lottery of Slovenia, are moving to strengthen their instant game partnership and position the Lottery for more growth through a new, exclusive five-year contract. The new contract follows 26% growth in Loterija Slovenijeās instant game sales over the past four years. The agreement may be renewed for an additional two years.
2024-SGSocials-Slovenia-1200×1200.pngāThe move to this new partnership with Scientific Games heralds further progress for our SreÄka games portfolio,ā said Loterija Slovenije CEO and President Romana Girandon. āThe enhanced partnership aligns our goals to responsibly grow these products and ultimately, grow proceeds to our good cause programs.ā
Loterija Slovenijeās new partnership closely aligns the strategic interests of both companies using Scientific Gamesā world-leading instant game design and portfolio management services, as well as data-driven analytics and insights, game manufacturing, retailer analysis, marketing, sales support and licensed brand services.
Scientific Games began working with Loterija Slovenije six years ago as the Lotteryās primary instant games provider and most recently collaborated on successful higher price point game launches featuring an Advent calendar and a ā¬10 extended play game.
āWeāre proud to move to an enhanced partnership with Loterija Slovenija so that we can fully maximize the potential of its SreÄka games,ā said Kevin Anderson, VP of Global Strategic Accounts for Scientific Games. āOur expertise with data analytics and portfolio management will help drive sales performance for the games and provide entertaining experiences for Slovenian players.ā
With products that generate more than 70% of global instant game retail sales, Scientific Games is the worldās largest instant games creator, producer and services provider, and the primary provider to nine of the Top 10 performing instant game lotteries in the world (La Fleurās 2024 World Lottery Almanac).
Central Europe
Apparat Gaming and edict egaming announce partnership
Leading German software provider teams up with Hamburg-born aggregator to make full suite of slots available to customers in regulated markets worldwide
With immediate effect, German iGaming-business Apparat Gaming is teaming up with fellow Hamburg-founded company edict egaming. The former, having forged a reputation for providing premium casino content with a German accent, has thus joined forces with one of the countryās top aggregators in edict, one of the Merkur Groupās subsidiaries.
As a result of the deal, Apparat Gamingās ever-expanding portfolio of 30+ quality slots, including recent releases like the high-octane Autobahn Alarm and the hotly-anticipated Fishinā the Biggest, will be joining edictās already widespread line-up of over 200 titles ā making them now available to all operators who choose edict for their game aggregation needs.
This collaboration will give customers access to an even more diverse selection of games, all of which are fully compliant with the latest German regulation and certified for release in multiple markets.
Founded in 1998, edict was one of the industryās pioneering online casino service providers before it was acquired by the Merkur Group a decade later. In 2021, the company added an aggregator solution to its offering, and it has been steadily developing this product ever since to a point where it now supplies content to over 150 operators and starts 8.5+ billion games per year.
Specialising in engaging titles that are supplied by some of Germanyās most popular studios, Apparat Gamingās releases will certainly look right at home among the aggregatorās prestigious game portfolio ā and both parties are already looking forward to a highly successful collaboration.
Martin Frindt, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Apparat Gaming,Ā said: āGiven Apparat Gamingās German roots, weāre delighted to be teaming up with a Hamburg-born business-like edict. Adding our titles to their line-up will give operators access to our over 30 top slots that all come with our signature German accent, and we canāt wait to hear how theyāre received by customers.ā
Dominic-Daniel Lienard CEO at edict,Ā said: āSince launching our aggregator solution, edict has compiled a stellar portfolio of releases from some of the top developers in Germany and beyond ā and adding Apparat Gaming titles will strengthen this roster further. With great graphics, unique themes, and innovative bonus features, weāre sure their slots will be a huge hit with our operators.ā
Central Europe
Wazdan amplifies Swiss presence with Swiss4Win launch
Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the worldās most rewarding casino game experiences has further expanded in the regulated Swiss market, taking its games live with Swiss4Win.
The collaboration enhances Wazdanās profile in the country with Swiss4Winās leading online gambling platform revolutionising player experiences with the introduction of the studioās exciting range of games.
As Wazdan continues to deliver the worldās most rewarding casino game experiences, this new partnership heralds a new era of entertainment. Players can look forward to a diverse selection of captivating slots designed to appeal to Swiss players.
In conjunction with this partnership, Swiss4Win unveils its new website, meticulously crafted to enhance user engagement. The platform boasts a cutting-edge SEO-oriented design, complemented by a sleek dark mode interface. With a heightened focus on slot providers, the website features a dedicated page showcasing premier gaming offerings.
Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales and Business Development at Wazdan, said: “We’re excited to join forces with swiss4win.ch to introduce our latest games to players worldwide. This collaboration represents a shared commitment to innovation and excellence in the iGaming industry.”
Paolo Sanvido, Chief Executive Officer at Casino Lugano and Swiss4Win, added: “Wazdan’s distinguished reputation stems from its exceptional graphics and innovative features, which have resonated with players globally. Its dedication to crafting enriching casino experiences offers players greater control over their gaming preferences and seamlessly aligns with our audience’s interests.ā
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