German Players are Getting Older

The average age of gamers in Germany has risen again. According to game, it is now over 38 years for the first time. The other demographics have not changed significantly.

Once a year, game - The German Games Association (game - Verband der deutschen Games-Branche) provides an update on the demographics of German gamers. And this shows a trend that has continued 2023: German gamers are getting older on average. In 2023, the average age of all gamers in Germany was 38.2 years. This is four months more than in the previous year and the first time that the average age has exceeded 38. The association itself looks back at the figures from ten years ago. At that time, the average age of German gamers was 33.6 years, a significant increase. A look at the data from previous years shows how continuous the increase has been: in 2022 the average age was 37.6, in 2021 it was 37.4.

According to game, this continuous increase is mainly due to the fact that many children and teenagers from the 1980s and 1990s have remained loyal to computer- and videogames. This has led to a steady increase in the number of older players. The number of people over the age of 60 playing computer and video games has increased by a further 300,000 to 6.4 million in twelve months, according to the association.

"Although the average age of players has been growing for years, the trend still comes as a surprise to many people. The idea of games as a medium for children and young people is a difficult one to shake off. Although this demographic continues to be an important part of the gaming landscape, only a fifth of gamers in Germany are under 18," says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game.

There were no significant changes in the other demographics compared to last year. Around six out of ten Germans play games. The proportion of female gamers is 48 per cent and 78 per cent of all gamers are over the age of 18. The gaming data is based on surveys conducted by consumer panel services GfK and data.ai, which have been part of Sensor Tower since march.