The gaming industry in Germany had been showing strong growth in the past years. However, it now faces a noteworthy slowdown. Over the last twelve months growth has only been 4%. This is in spite a 15% increase in the number of gaming companies over the past year.
For that reason, the total reached 948 companies developing and publishing computer and video games in the country. The German Games Industry Association is a game that released this data. This is based on information from gamesmap.de in partnership with Goldmedia.
Below is the breakdown of the growth of gaming companies in Germany:
1. The number of companies dedicated exclusively to game development increased by 6% in 2023. It totals to 477 companies.
2. There are 52 companies in Germany that specialize exclusively in publishing video games.
3. In both game development and publishing, 419 companies results in an overall 52% growth in the number of game companies. This is since the year 2020.
Job growth has also slowed. At development studios, the number of employees, together with publishers increased to 12,408 in the last twelve months. The increase represents roughly 3.5%. This is in comparison to the 7% increase recorded in the last period.
Even though slower, this continued growth. It reflects the stable situation given by federal gaming funding. Put differently, it has served as a stabilizing factor for the industry.
The wave of consolidation that affects the global gaming industry has had a less pronounced impact in Germany. This is because of the support of projects that the federal government finances.
Nonetheless, if the German government fails to secure internationally competitive funding budgets, the outlook for gaming companies in the country could become even more unsure.
An additional 20,000 people are estimated to be employed in gaming-related fields like educational institutions, media, and the public and commercial sectors. This is in addition to publishing and development jobs.
