The game association is not yet giving the all-clear regarding the state of the German games industry. The sector is recovering only slowly. The number of employees has fallen for the second consecutive time, whilst the number of companies has stabilised and risen again.
Games developers and publishers in Germany currently employ 12,235 people. This is according to the latest data from game – The German Games Industry Association. The figure reflects a 3% decline. It is the second consecutive decline recorded by the association. According to game, it is also a sign that the German games industry is recovering only slowly from the international wave of consolidation.
game cites a second indicator to show that the industry is recovering at all: following a decline last year, the number of companies developing or publishing games in Germany has now risen again, from 917 to 956. That is an increase of 4%.
“The situation for Germany’s games companies remains challenging – and nowhere is that clearer than in the employee figures, which have now fallen for the second year in a row,” says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. “The rising number of companies, on the other hand, is an encouraging sign. Amid the global wave of market consolidation, Germany is holding up better than many other countries – thanks in particular to the expanded Federal Games Funding Programme and the 'Press Start' start-up scholarship. With these measures, and the announced introduction of tax-based games funding, the federal government is setting important growth impulses and strengthening Germany’s international competitiveness in the crucial future industry of games.”
The growth in the sector, however, is primarily due to the establishment of new development studios. According to game, this is a result of improved funding policies in Germany with regard to games. Although the wave of start-ups lost momentum due to market consolidation, it is now gaining pace again.
Another key factor was the ‘Press Start’ programme. All 132 individuals supported under the programme were involved in setting up a studio either immediately prior to or during the programme. In total, 75 studios have been established through this programme, as the organisers said.
