AUG. 19, 2011 • According to Germany’s trade group the Federal Association for Interactive Entertainment Software, sales of PC and video games software and income from online business models rose 1% in Germany during the first half of 2011 to €793 million. The trade group expects growth to reach 3% by the end of the year.
Impact: Games.com in Germany has become THE European trade show for the industry. Having it located in Germany is a good reminder that the game industry is far more than the U.S./U.K./Japan dominated console business. The only decline in Germany is because of a slowdown in the console business. However, Germany has always had a robust PC game business and has embraced online game models faster than the U.S. Because it is more diversified, the German game industry is not as subject to the cyclical ups and downs associated with the console business.