Central Europe
Slower workforce growth and fewer new companies: the upward trend in the German games industry is weakening
• Number of German game companies grows by 4 per cent in twelve months
• Slowed growth pace: employment figures at developers and publishers up 3.5 per cent
• German games industry plus extended game labour market provides more than 30,000 jobs
The strong upward trend seen in the German games industry in recent years is now weakening significantly. After registering 15 per cent growth a year ago, the number of game companies increased by just 4 per cent in the past twelve months, to a total of 948 companies developing and publishing computer and video games in Germany. This was announced today by game – The German Games Industry Association on the basis of data from gamesmap.de in cooperation with Goldmedia. In particular, the number of companies that exclusively develop games is rising, with 6 per cent growth in the past year bringing the figure to 477 currently. A further 52 companies in Germany specialise exclusively in publishing video games and 419 are active in both game development and publishing. This amounts to a 52 per cent overall increase in the number of game companies in Germany since 2020.
Employee numbers at German game companies showed continued growth, but at only half the pace of the previous year. The number of employees at game development studios and publishers rose to 12,408 over the past twelve months, up around 3.5 per cent from last year’s figure of 11,992. This compares with 7 per cent growth recorded from 2022 to 2023. At first glance, the weakened yet still positive trend appears contradictory against the backdrop of the current overall decline in investment momentum and major waves of consolidation in the international games industry. While the current consolidation wave has indeed affected German game companies, its impact here has been less pronounced than in general internationally. One reason for this is that many game companies in Germany are currently still in the midst of projects made possible by federal games funding, which has served as a stabilising factor for the industry as a whole. In addition to the workforce in publishing and development, an estimated further 20,000 people are employed in the area of games. The games industry thus provides jobs for over 30,000 people in Germany, including skilled professionals in educational institutions, the media and the public and commercial sectors.
‘Games funding plays a decisive role in this. Although the on-going application freeze for the federal games funding has hampered the development of new projects for over a year now, the fact that many German studios were still in the middle of federally funded projects gave them stability. However, if the German government doesn’t ensure funding budgets at an internationally comparable level soon, the prospects for game companies will be all the more unclear. Along with the consolidation wave,’ he continues, ‘the current unpredictable and non-competitive framework conditions in Germany have now slowed the strong growth of recent years. The German government must finally make the promised funds available and return to the path of an ambitious policy of single-source game funding, as it announced in its latest growth initiative.’
About the data:
The data is drawn from a survey carried out by Goldmedia on the basis of entries on gamesmap.de. It was conducted on behalf of game – The German Games Industry Association for the period ending on 14 June 2024.
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Euro Games Technology will partner with the Casino Operations Summit for another year in a row. The Bulgarian gaming equipment manufacturer will be a gold sponsor of this year’s event, taking place from May 13 to 15 in Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
The conference is tailored to European multi-channel casino operators and will traditionally bring together keynote speakers who will elaborate on the latest topics in the industry. This year’s main themes will focus on how land-based casinos can successfully address the challenges of the modern world, remaininng relevant and attractive to players, and navigate the ever-growing importance of Casino Online Systems and Casino Management Systems.
In addition, attendees will be able to enjoy a selection of EGT’s newest high-potential products. Among the highlights will be the S 32-32 ST cabinet, which is part of the latest Supreme slot series. Following the contemporary design trends with its 2 high-resolution 32-inch UHD 4K monitors and a frameless UHD 4K display, this model will offer visitors an engaging gaming experience thanks to its numerous ergonomic features. It will also present the Supreme Red Selection and Supreme Bonus Prize Bonus Buy Selection multigames. The mixes offer a rich variety of well-known and brand-new slot titles from the company’s portfolio, allowing everyone to find their preferred type of game.
The slot display will be complemented by the jackpot top performer Bell Link with the multigame Bell Link 2, Bell Link Boost, as well as the popular cabinet G 50 J2 ST.
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Ani Mkrtchyan, Digitain’s Chief Sales Officer, commented: “We are excited to expand the partnership with Gamingtec and support Betters.pl in delivering an outstanding sports betting experience in Poland. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to expanding in regulated markets and is yet another example of how we partner with industry leaders in gaming excellence—perfectly reflecting Digitain’s new brand slogan: ‘BUILT TO LEAD.’”
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Leading sportsbook technology provider grows European footprint with major local operator
Altenar, a leading sports betting and iGaming software provider, has signed an agreement to provide its fully-managed sportsbook solution to Czech operator MerkurXtip.
The Merkur brand, formerly known as the Gauselmann Group, was founded in the 1970s. Its Czech online brand MerkurXtip CZ launched in 2022 and provides more than 200 slots and sports betting across a wide variety of sporting events..
Altenar’s sportsbook solution will replace the existing sportsbook product on the operator’s merkurxtip.cz website, providing a range of innovative features to elevate the betting experience for players, enhance retention rates and increase revenue.
The agreement strengthens Altenar’s position in the Czech market, where it secured its first deal in 2024. It has enjoyed successful ongoing partnerships with Kingsbet CZ and DATA.BET.
Sam Hill, Sales Director at Altenar, said: “The Merkur Group is a fantastic business with real heritage across the industry.
“To be trusted to take their brand forward in the Czech market is testament to the quality of product and service that Altenar provides today across numerous regulated markets. We can’t wait to get started and look forward to the development of our partnership with the Group.”
Stanislav Sopko, CEO of MerkurXtip CZ, said: “This collaboration marks the start of a promising journey together. Through this partnership, we aim to provide MerkurXtip’s customers with exceptional sports betting products from Altenar and deliver the best-in-class gaming experience in the market.
“We will combine our strengths and expertise to create new opportunities, improve offerings, and drive forward innovation. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting venture together. We look forward to achieving great things in the months and years ahead.”
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