Video games: Sales up again in the first half of the year
Sales of video games in Germany have risen again. The start of sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 is partly responsible for the turnaround.
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Video games, online gaming services, and games hardware generated sales of 4.6 billion euros in Germany in the first half of the year. This corresponds to an increase of 4 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the industry association Game. Last year, the games market shrank for the first time.
The greatest growth was achieved in the sale of hardware for gaming. Business with games consoles, PCs, and accessories increased by 17 percent to 1.2 billion euros in the first six months, driven by the start of sales of the Nintendo Switch 2. In the first half of 2025, this area had still lost 18 percent. Other gaming handhelds are also enjoying great popularity due to their flexibility and compactness, writes the industry association. According to the report, 29% of Germans aged 16 and over are interested in handhelds.
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Sales of online gaming services have also increased – the association includes network, cloud, and subscription services. This turnover has risen by four percent to 621 million euros. However, game sales still account for the lion's share of total turnover. Here, however, turnover fell by two percent to 2.7 billion euros.
“Strong signal” before the start of Gamescom
Game Managing Director Felix Falk describes the recently published figures as a “strong signal” ahead of the start of Gamescom. The games fair takes place in Cologne from August 20 to 24.
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