Buying games as downloads is more popular than ever in Germany

• A new record: 60 per cent of all PC and console games sold in Germany are purchased as downloads
• Most video game players buy PC games as downloads
• Players prefer to buy console games as physical media

Berlin, 1 August, 2023 –The share of PC and console games purchased as downloads in Germany climbed to 60 per cent for the first time in 2023, meaning that download purchases have remained at the same high level they reached during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Back then, the share of downloads jumped from 45 to 58 per cent. These figures were published today by game – The German Games Industry Association, in cooperation with market research company CPS GfK. A closer look at the individual gaming platforms, though, shows there are huge differences between them. Download purchases are most popular among PC players; these days, they buy nearly all of their games – 98 per cent – as downloads. Last year, that figure was already 97 per cent. Consoles are a different story, though. Most console players prefer to buy games on physical media. The majority of console games – 60 per cent – are still purchased as physical media, even though that figure has dropped by 3 percentage points compared to last year.

The way in which video game players purchase games is also a question of age. The younger generation of players in Germany overwhelmingly opt for downloads. And this trend is particularly strong among players between the ages of 20 and 29: they buy more than 7 out of 10 PC or console games (71 per cent) in this format. But these days, growing numbers of older players are starting to prefer downloads, as well. Among 50- to 59-year-olds, approximately 6 out of 10 games (59 per cent) are purchased as downloads; last year, this group bought about 53 per cent of their games on physical media. Physical copies are most popular among the over-60s. In 2023, they bought more than half their games (53 per cent) on physical media. However, this figure also represented a decline of 12 percentage points in sales of physical media among this group.

‘We’re seeing a clear trend: downloads are becoming an established way of buying games, and their share of the games market is continually increasing, even though that growth has slowed a bit since the pandemic,’ says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. ‘For many people, downloads are a quick and convenient way to buy games. Last year, a number of big blockbuster games, like “Baldur’s Gate 3” and “Alan Wake II”, were initially released as digital exclusives. Plenty of successful indie games have been download-only for ages, as well. All these factors have given the popularity of downloads a massive boost. But how games are purchased still varies according to the age of the player and the type of platform. Video game players primarily buy their console games on physical media, to get the limited editions and fan merchandise that come with them, or to ensure that they always have a copy of the game in their collection.’

About the market data

The market data is based on statistics compiled by Consumer Panel Services GfK and data.ai. The methods used by CPS GfK to collect data on Germany’s video game 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 – the German Games Industry Association

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 computer and video games. We are a shareholder in the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK), the Foundation for Digital Games Culture, the esports player foundation, devcom 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.

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