Germany is not Europe's top market

By Robert Purchese Published 17 August, 2009

GfK admits to issuing incorrect data.

Update: Gfk Chart-Track in the UK has contacted GamesIndustry.biz to admit that the press release it issued earlier today had been written using incorrect data.

The company is expected to release a correction shortly. It is understood that Germany is not a bigger games market than the UK. This is the second time in as many weeks that GfK Chart-Track data has been publicly questioned.

Original Story: Sales-tracker Media Control GfK has revealed that Germany has replaced the UK as the largest European videogame market.

The UK sagged to second as sales dropped by 20 per cent year-on-year for the first-half of 2009. Graphs for France and Spain frowned, too.

Smiley graphs, on the other hand, belonged to Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands. The Portuguese bought a significant 16 per cent more games YOY.

GfK highlighted Wii Fit as the best-selling game of 2009 in the UK, Germany and Austria. Nintendo's exercise revolution enjoyed big sales in Italy, Sweden and Finland as well.

SingStar (Finland), COD4 (Finland), GTA Liberty City Stories (Sweden), Pokemon Platinum (Germany, Austrai) and FIFA 09 (UK) all also posted strong Euro performances.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (52) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Vice.Destroyer #1 3 years ago

    Oh dear. Not that I mind these news from a jingoistic point of view. But seeing how Germany has got some of the strictest videogame violence laws in the world, are we slowly going to see a situation develop where developers will just produce a version light on violence, to satisfy german censors, and not bother giving us the ability to hack peoples heads off, with unreal amounts of gore?

  • sneetch #2 3 years ago

    Ah, no. I don't think that's likely as the US is still the main market people target. Combined the US, UK, France, Sweden etc. are still a whole lot larger than Germany.

  • Vice.Destroyer #3 3 years ago

    Phew. Cheers Sneetch.

  • colostomyexplosion #4 3 years ago

    What about the UK plus Ireland, still bigger than Germany? I'd guess that the manufacturers treat the two as one.

  • peteb #5 3 years ago

    Wow this really surprises me actually! I wonder how much bigger it would be if some games were allowed to be sold normally. Like Gears 1 & 2, Dead Rising, Crackdown etc etc. Even when the games are sold here and they're censored, I bet they lose a lot of sales to Austria and the UK with people wanting the uncut versions. Thats what I do anyway!

    EDIT: Ooh and also, it seems UK games are waaaaaay cheaper too, even factoring in the exchange rate. I rarely see a new game here in Germany for less than 69.99 in places like Gamestop. Which is why I have stopped going there.
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/09 @ 11:30

  • mcmonkeyplc #6 3 years ago

    Are we starting World War 3 based on this? :p

  • SleepyDeathFred #7 3 years ago

    And now Alan with the sport.


    Thanks Chris.

  • UncleLou #8 3 years ago

    Wooo! Home of PC gaming.

    Yeah - the PC is still strong here in Germany, but I am sure much of the growth is owed to the DS and Wii, if the stats of the last few years are anything to go by.
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/09 @ 11:35

  • BigE0n #9 3 years ago

    So thats why MS repairs department is situated in Germany ;-)

  • BootLace #10 3 years ago

    I imagine this is more a reflection of our nation's economic confidence than any relation to our relative gaming appetites. French and German economies grew April to June, whereas the UK's continued to shrink.

  • Freek #11 3 years ago

    And then they decided to ban action games.....

  • Agent_Orange #12 3 years ago

    Maybe it is something to do with the amount of big games that have come out this year... There has not really been one game that I have been looking forward to out yet out this year.
    I think games like Anno 1404 etc are more popular in Germany than the UK which have been released this year!

  • StooMonster #13 3 years ago

    "US is still the main market people target"

    Even thought it's a smaller video game market than Asia and Europe? Who are these 'people'?

    UK has been largest market in Europe for a long time, with most revenue per person in EU and highest attach rate in the world, in fact by many measures UK is a larger market than Japan; so Gordon Brown's economic meltdown must really be biting for sales to decline so rapidly. However, I am sure once the economy eventually recovers -- ha ha hahahaha -- the UK will regain the crown of largest video game market in Europe.
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/09 @ 12:17

  • Domovoi #14 3 years ago

    "Oh dear. Not that I mind these news from a jingoistic point of view. But seeing how Germany has got some of the strictest videogame violence laws in the world, are we slowly going to see a situation develop where developers will just produce a version light on violence, to satisfy german censors, and not bother giving us the ability to hack peoples heads off, with unreal amounts of gore?"

    Wait, what, you mean the industry would need to come up with something else than juvenile gore and easy violence? And you don't want this to happen?
    Edited by 3 at 17/08/09 @ 12:21

  • RexRunti #15 3 years ago

    Well there are an extra 22 million people in Germany so the UK is still the centre of European gaming.

  • geeza2020 #16 3 years ago

    "Even thought it's a smaller video game market than Asia and Europe? "

    I dont believe you.

  • spekkeh #17 3 years ago

    Damn.

    Germany has strict videogame violence laws AND slows the release of new games down by demanding German dubbing. This should be punished people, not encouraged!

  • Lemming81 #18 3 years ago

    Wait....the country that bans a game for even the slightest bit of violence is outselling the rest? I smell shinanigans...
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/09 @ 12:42

  • Domovoi #19 3 years ago

    Wait....the country that bans a game for even the slightest bit of violence is outselling the rest? I smell shinanigans...

    Guess what. There's a huge market beyond the 13-17 year olds.

  • KDR_11k #20 3 years ago

    But seeing how Germany has got some of the strictest videogame violence laws in the world, are we slowly going to see a situation develop where developers will just produce a version light on violence, to satisfy german censors, and not bother giving us the ability to hack peoples heads off, with unreal amounts of gore?

    Eventually? Probotector!

    Ah, no. I don't think that's likely as the US is still the main market people target. Combined the US, UK, France, Sweden etc. are still a whole lot larger than Germany.

    But consider the tradeoffs: Censor the game for Germany, gain the German sales, don't censor the game for Germany and get a few token sales from gore fanatics while the rest of the gamers don't care that the game isn't as violent as possible. Besides, they can just release a censored local version like they always do. It would be nice if it did something against the growing trend of hyperviolence though, games aren't exactly making themselves more mainstream by including levels of violence that would make most people throw up.

    However, I am sure once the economy eventually recovers -- ha ha hahahaha -- the UK will regain the crown of largest video game market in Europe.

    I'm not that certain, Germany has a much larger population after all (80M vs 50M) so the number of potential gamers is higher, they just need to be turnd into gamers which seems to be happening slowly.

    Germany has strict videogame violence laws AND slows the release of new games down by demanding German dubbing. This should be punished people, not encouraged!

    The dubbing isn't really mandatory, publishers just choose to do it. I've seen plenty of undubbed games, especially those coming from Nintendo.

  • JensonJet #21 3 years ago

    What surprises me about this news is how few European online gamers you meet on Xbox Live. The majority of the ones I've met were playing sport games; tennis and football. Maybe the whole violence censoring is purely an extension of the European games culture. In England and America we have a slightly deeper routed love and need for violent entertainment. It's a shame that only gamers and the games industry understand that enjoying violent games has absolutely nothing to do violent behavior.

    I wonder if Germany's strict laws on this are an attempt to counterbalance the fact that the nation, in games and movies, is often depicted as one of the most violent nations in recent history. Or maybe we've got it all wrong, and these restrictions on violent games has made Germany a completely violent free zone! Maybe the whole country goes around hugging each other and the police are on a permanent holiday!!!!

  • Vice.Destroyer #22 3 years ago

    Wait, what, you mean the industry would need to come up with something else than juvenile gore and easy violence? And you don't want this to happen?
    @Domovoi

    Ha. No. That is not what I want to happen. You have to consider this and I am sure our german eurogamers will back me up on this. Even 18-rated games are censored to a degree that is almost laughable for a game that should only be accessed by adults. The vs mode in Resident Evil did not get classification in Germany. Over the years there were many examples of censorship that makes little sense, when they have age ratings in the same way that we have over here.

    Also, we don't just have violent games. But I would like to have the choice of being as violent as I can, when the mood strikes me. But I'll be able to cope, if it were to be that scenario.

  • UncleLou #23 3 years ago

    Wait....the country that bans a game for even the slightest bit of violence is outselling the rest?

    "Banned" (wrong word anyhow) games can still be legally sold to adults, they just can't be put on display in rooms that minors can enter, or advertised in mags that are also sold to minors. And many violent games (take GTA IV as a recent example) don't get banned, but get a normal +18 sticker.

    Don't believe anything you read about German ratings/"cenrsorhsip" laws you read in the (English-language) gaming press, it's 99% nonsense.
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/09 @ 13:31

  • BabyJesus #24 3 years ago

    Pfft, we still have 2 world wars.

  • Domovoi #25 3 years ago

    Also, we don't just have violent games. But I would like to have the choice of being as violent as I can, when the mood strikes me. But I'll be able to cope, if it were to be that scenario.

    I think that'll always be the case. You can always turn to Japan for however violent or depraved you want your games to be. But I'd personally enjoy it if publishers were forced to stop going "Huh, just make it something with bald space marines and a lot of decapitations, because that crap always sells" and had to find something that appeals to gamers other than violence.

  • kangarootoo #26 3 years ago

    @geeza2020

    What has belief got to do with it? The facts are freely available to anyone with an internet connection.

  • Vice.Destroyer #27 3 years ago

    @Domovoi
    But there are loads of games that don't use violence as a selling point. And are good. And can be enjoyed by adults.

  • Kyledanutmeg #28 3 years ago

    TBH what amazing games have come out!

  • kangarootoo #29 3 years ago

    The level of violence in a game is not what sells it.

    A game series that has violence as a specific selling point (Ninja Gaiden for example) might put gamers noses out of joint if a sequel won't let you fly heads, but any new release isn't judged on how much gore it contains and the absence of said gore won't bite into sales by any realy degree (all else being well).

    And has been said, the market that cares about exploding heads is shrinking as a proportion and will continue to do so.

  • Domovoi #30 3 years ago

    But there are loads of games that don't use violence as a selling point. And are good. And can be enjoyed by adults.

    Yes, there are. But far fewer than games with lots of violence. And they rarely get the marketing, the press attention, or the high profile launches. Games with over the top gore are just incredibly overrepresented, and I'd like to see that change.

  • metallicorphan #31 3 years ago

    lets be honest now though,the games haven't exactly been that great for this year...and sales dropping 20% but we are still 2nd,well...see how we do for second half with October and November looking good,and definitely see how we do next first half,seen as though all the best games have been delayed for then(Bioshock 2,Mafia2 etc)and ME2 due then

    and anyway,Germany are alright(now)...i do feel for them when they have sucha such a title banned for stupid reasons,so good on 'em


    but we'll always have '66 ;)

  • jonsaan #32 3 years ago

    Wurst fears confirmed.

  • StooMonster #33 3 years ago

    @geeza2020: if one can be arsed to Google ... the very first hit I got was "Europe second-largest gaming market:Nielsen research reveals US ranks third behind Asia and EU in consumer spending on software "
    [link url=http://uk.ga mespot.com/news/6191774.html
    ]http://uk.ga mespot.com/news/6191774.html
    [/link]

    Do you believe in Nielsen?

  • StooMonster #34 3 years ago

    @ KDR_11k: I'm not that certain, Germany has a much larger population after all (80M vs 50M) so the number of potential gamers is higher, they just need to be turnd into gamers which seems to be happening slowly.

    UK population is 61-million (est July 2008) not 50m, Germany 82-million; although UK is forecast to overtake Germany by 2050, and get even more crowded in the South-East. However, the point of my manic laugher -- ha ha hahahahaha -- was to ridicule the idea that the British economy is going to 'recover' in any meaningful way in a generation.

    So you are right, Germany will be the leader for a long time, a very long tax-raising service-cutting eventually one day UK national debt reducing time. ;)

  • SYS64738 #35 3 years ago

    "lets be honest now though,the games haven't exactly been that great for this year...and sales dropping 20% but we are still 2nd,well...see how we do for second half with October and November looking good,and definitely see how we do next first half,seen as though all the best games have been delayed for then(Bioshock 2,Mafia2 etc)and ME2 due then

    and anyway,Germany are alright(now)...i do feel for them when they have sucha such a title banned for stupid reasons,so good on 'em

    but we'll always have '66 ;) "

    I taste bitterness.....

    "What about the UK plus Ireland, still bigger than Germany? I'd guess that the manufacturers treat the two as one. "

    Why not include Iceland (close enough to IReland innit) and the Shetland Islands as well? And who cares?
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/09 @ 14:39

  • Fixxxer #36 3 years ago

    Is Austrai nice at this time of year?

  • Hexagon #37 3 years ago

    @ Fixxxer

    I do agree. Don't video game journalists know how to proofread? It's such a short article as well. I would expect something like this from Kotaku but it happens far too often on Eurogamer as well.

  • Incarta #38 3 years ago

    And things arn't going to get any better now that the price of gaming is going to increase in the UK.

  • AphoticCosmos #39 3 years ago

    We shall fight them on the servers, we shall fight them on the forums, we shall fight them on the #IRCs. We shall never surrender.

  • Hexagon #40 3 years ago

    It's a pity really that Germany may not actually be the largest market for video games in the EU now. It would have been a very interesting development in my opinion.

  • mezzomorto #41 3 years ago

    Well, after all the jingoistic (thanks Vice. Destroyer, I always liked that word!) comments, the UK still reigns supreme it seems.

    @ SYS64738, this whole topic and some comments are based on the distinction and to some extent rivalry between two countries so why not point out if the "UK" data also includes data from the small country neighbouring the UK. Also, Ireland does tend to get "absorbed" into UK data a tad more than say Iceland (I blame the Cod Wars!).

  • Bravestinsane #42 3 years ago

    This is Brilliant new.

    Now the Government is getting less Tax from us maybe they will swoop in and force game companies to stop ripping us of and give us good prices, even prices fair prices.


    One can dream... one can dream

  • malexous #43 3 years ago

    I'm disappointed that the news is not true. No matter how ludicrous some of Germany's rules are (which I gather some are from other people's comments here and elsewhere) I would choose to live in Germany/Austria over Ireland/U.K. any day.
    Edited by 2 at 17/08/09 @ 17:58

  • davymackie #44 3 years ago

    sneetch
    17/08/09 @ 11:16

    Ah, no. I don't think that's likely as the US is still the main market people target. Combined the US, UK, France, Sweden etc. are still a whole lot larger than Germany.
    ============================================================ =
    that didnt stop them starting world war 1 & 2.

  • Twin_snakes #45 3 years ago

    How did they start WW1?

  • BabyJesus #46 3 years ago

    "So you are right, Germany will be the leader for a long time, a very long tax-raising service-cutting eventually one day UK national debt reducing time. ;)"

    I believe someone has pie on their face.

  • Wickedbug #47 3 years ago

    Those who buy games in Portugal are being robbed. Much cheaper on Play and Amazon

  • Marshall2008 #48 3 years ago

    Unless you make a game with loadsa porn in it then it just ain't gonna sell in Germany seeing as they are too shit scared to let their public violent games because of 'THE WAR'. BTW don't mention it.
    Edited by 1 at 18/08/09 @ 00:00

  • Fab4 #49 3 years ago

    Yes, technically the first world war was 'initiated' by the Austro-Hungarian empire, with Germany holding their hand.

  • pinochet_cz #50 3 years ago

    Not sure what are sources for such market analysis..but here in cz is a fraction of people which go to store and buy a game...it is 1/4 cheaper to buy from australia or uk.

  • dingo75 #51 3 years ago

    German here and I buy 95% of my games in UK (because it's cheaper and I hate dubbed shit).
    Fuck nationalities. I will buy where it is cheapest / most convinient! :)

  • sneetch #52 3 years ago

    @StooMonster
    "US is still the main market people target"

    Even thought it's a smaller video game market than Asia and Europe? Who are these 'people'?

    Those "people" would be the games developers and publishers who tend to release games in Europe a lot, you know, EA, Activision, Ubisoft and so on and so forth. Sorry I should have been more clear, I assumed people (as in the people reading this thread, just to avoid further confusion) would be able to make that leap.

    Asia is a huge market I'm not disputing that, but it's largely a distinct market: relatively few games make the transition from Asia to here (apart from Japanese games there are practically none) although that is changing.