How do game industry executives look back at 2025 and what do they think about 2026? We spoke to Winfried Diekmann, Managing Director Aerosoft, to find out.
GamesMarkt: What is your verdict as you look back on 2025?
Winfried Diekmann: "2025 was a difficult year for us and the industry. The flood of new games and stagnation in the games industry are increasing development costs and significantly reducing the chances of success for individual games. Even budgets of several million no longer guarantee good reviews, let alone good sales."
GamesMarkt: What are your predictions for the gaming industry in 2026?
Winfried Diekmann: "Predictions for the gaming industry are very difficult at present. In 2026, the Switch 2 and the Steam console will certainly be a big and interesting topic. The increased funding is also very relevant for the German developer scene. However, more games also mean greater competition, and customers will have even more alternatives when choosing their games."
GamesMarkt: How is Aerosoft positioned for 2026?
Winfried Diekmann: "We expect 2026 to be a very successful year. With a diverse line-up of releases in the pipeline, it's going to be a busy one. This includes the eagerly awaited Early Access launch of Global Rescue, which was well received during this year's demo phase."
Aerosoft GmbH was founded in 1991 at Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport. Initially, the company developed add-on software for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Subsequently, the portfolio was expanded to include further simulations, primarily vehicle simulations. With over 40 permanent members of staff, Aerosoft has become one of the world's leading publishers of transport simulation software. The company is also the exclusive publisher of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and X-Plane 12 in Europe.
