Central Europe
German games market in 2023: strong development in turbulent times
The German games market once again grew significantly overall in 2023: sales of games, games hardware and gaming online services rose by 6 per cent to around 9.97 billion euros. This is a significant increase after sales had only risen by 1 per cent in the previous year. The biggest growth drivers include games consoles and their accessories as well as in-game and in-app purchases. Despite the large number of top-class titles, which increased sales of games purchases by 4 per cent, the number of games sold fell by 8 per cent at the same time. There were also significant declines in some cases for gaming PCs and laptops. The data on the German games market is based on surveys conducted by the consumer panel services GfK and data.ai. The different developments in the individual market segments also show that 2023 was a year of contrasts for the games industry as a whole: on the one hand, more high-calibre titles were released within twelve months than ever before. On the other hand, some sales expectations were not met, particularly due to this abundance of outstanding games. Combined with generally high interest rates and a slowdown in the investment market, a wave of consolidation began worldwide, as a result of which developer studios are still being downsized or even closed and jobs are being cut.
‘The German games market continues to grow, but a close look at the data shows just how challenging these times are for game companies,’ says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. ‘This is particularly true for small to medium-sized companies in Germany, most of which have only thin capital cover and therefore feel the impact of the tougher investment climate especially quickly. In such turbulent times reliable and internationally competitive political solutions are needed more than ever.’
Major differences between categories of games hardware
Sales revenues from various categories of games hardware developed very differently last year. Game consoles were among the most important growth drivers, posting a revenue increase of 44 per cent to break the billion-euro threshold, with total revenues of 1.1 billion euros. Demand for game console accessories was similarly robust, if at a slightly lower level. Sales revenues in this area jumped 32 per cent, to 374 million euros. In stark contrast, gaming PCs registered a clear decline as revenues from PCs and laptops marketed specially for games dropped by 17 per cent, to 547 million euros. Accessories for gaming PCs – including special input devices, graphic cards, etc. – fared only slightly better, with revenues falling by 7 per cent, to just under 1.3 billion euros.
‘Last year was the first year in a long time in which all current game consoles were easily available on the market,’ says Felix Falk. ‘The huge revenue gain in this category in 2023 shows how great the pent-up demand was among players. On the other hand, there was a clear drop in sales revenues from gaming PCs. After investing in PCs and laptops during the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of video game players seem to be well-equipped for the moment.’
Sales revenue from games rises and gaming online services stabilise at a high level
Sales revenue from games developed positively overall in 2023. Across all platforms, purchases of PC and console games generated 4 per cent more revenue than in the year before. Total sales revenues in this area increased to around 1.1 billion euros. Considering the many high-quality game releases, however, this rise seems rather low. Indeed, the number of games sold actually dropped by 8 per cent. This reveals that the growth in revenue here is attributable exclusively to higher average prices. Last year, many video game players appear to have purchased high-quality titles shortly after their release and not waited for discounts. Also, because many of the top titles of 2023 are especially time-intensive, they didn’t leave room for players to acquire a larger number of games. In contrast, the market development for in-game and in-app purchases was significantly more positive, showing a revenue increase of about 6 per cent, to 4.7 billion euros. From an upgrade in a player character’s armour, to a season pass with a lot of additional content, to completely new campaigns, it has become ever more common for the playing time of a game to be extended or individualised through additional content. This trend continued in 2023. In-game sales revenues contribute significantly to covering continuously rising game development costs.
After a number of years of strong growth, sales revenues from online gaming services stabilised at a high level. Among the categories in this segment are fee-based subscription services that provide access to a large selection of games, cloud-based gaming, online multiplayer functions and the ability to save game progress in the cloud. Examples of these services include EA Play, Nintendo Switch Online, PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass and Ubisoft+. Revenue from these services fell by 1 per cent in 2023, to 860 million euros.
The post German games market in 2023: strong development in turbulent times appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
SYNOT Games has accelerated its growth in the Slovak market through the delivery of branded games exclusively for SazkaHry.sk. Building on its extensive experience and success in the Czech Republic, the company is reinforcing its commitment to providing high-quality, customised gaming experiences tailored to local audiences.
As part of this expansion, two branded SYNOT Games titles originally created for Sazka CZ, Pirátska Plavba and Výlet do Vegas 27, have been translated into Slovak. These are not only localised games but exclusive, tailor-made titles that have already been successfully running on the Czech platform. Their adaptation for the Slovak market for the SazkaHry.sk offers a uniquely personalised and immersive experience for local players.
Martina Krajčí, CCO at SYNOT Games, said: “Our long-term partnership with Sazka in the Czech Republic continues to bring excellent results, and we are proud to expand our expertise to Slovakia for Allwyn Slovensko. By providing exclusive localized content for SazkaHry.sk, we ensure a more tailored and engaging experience for players, while continuing to uphold the highest standards in certified, secure gaming.”
Jan Horyna, member of the Allwyn Slovensko Board of Directors, said: “We’re pleased to cooperate with SYNOT Games in Slovakia. Offering branded games exclusive for SazkaHry.sk in the Slovak language is a natural step in offering original content that resonates with Slovak players and builds our position as a trusted operator.”
The post SYNOT Games Delivers Bespoke Games Exclusively for SazkaHry.sk in the Slovak Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Aquisitions/Mergers
NOVOMATIC successfully completes sale of ADMIRAL Austria to Tipico and focuses on international growth markets
Europe’s leading gaming technology group has successfully completed the sale of ADMIRAL Austria to Tipico. This transaction underscores NOVOMATIC’s long-term focus on global expansion and marks another important milestone in its international growth strategy. ADMIRAL Austria will remain an important technology partner under its new owner Tipico and will continue to rely on NOVOMATIC’s innovative technology solutions in the future.
Stefan Krenn, Executive Board Member of NOVOMATIC AG, emphasized: “The completion of this transaction marks an important step in our global expansion strategy with a clear focus on international growth markets. ADMIRAL has developed into an established market leader over the past decades, and we thank all ADMIRAL employees for their great commitment. We are pleased to have found a strong and reliable technology partner in Tipico, who will successfully continue the company’s operations in Austria.”
Axel Hefer, CEO of the Tipico Group, stated: “We are delighted about the successful completion of this transaction. ADMIRAL is a leading Austrian company with a strong legacy, and clear potential for future growth. Both companies are synonymous with state-of-the-art technology, innovative products and a high focus to player protection. Our future collaboration is very good news for our customers.”
The closing of the transaction followed the receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
The post NOVOMATIC successfully completes sale of ADMIRAL Austria to Tipico and focuses on international growth markets appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
Promatic Games and SYNOT Interactive Announce Strategic Partnership to Strengthen iGaming Expansion in Central and Eastern Europe
Promatic Games, a recognized provider of innovative iGaming content and one of the leaders of the Polish market, and SYNOT Interactive, a dynamic technology company headquartered in the Czech Republic, have officially announced a strategic partnership. The objective of the cooperation is the distribution of the Promatic Games portfolio to SYNOT Interactive’s aggregation customers, with a focus on the strategic markets of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The cooperation will accelerate growth for both parties by combining Promatic Games’ tailored gaming portfolio with SYNOT Interactive’s proven platform and extensive presence in regulated European markets.
SYNOT Interactive will be the first aggregation partner for Promatic Games in the Czech and Slovak markets.
“Up until now we have taken a few important steps to enter the Czech and Slovak markets. We have a portfolio of certified games for those markets, and we have integrated with a few platform providers. We have also launched our games with several operators. But obviously, cooperation with a brand like SYNOT Interactive brings new perspectives to our business there,” said Maciej Makuszewski, Head of iGaming at Promatic Games. “We are excited to work with SYNOT Interactive’s aggregation customers to generate great value for them. We are confident that our content will match customers’ tastes in these strategic markets, just as it has been proven in Poland, where we are one of the leading iGaming suppliers. We are of course looking forward to scaling up in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but we are also ready for other challenges with our strategic partner. SYNOT Interactive’s Central European footprint aligns perfectly with our expansion strategy.”
By integrating Promatic Games content into SYNOT Interactive’s modular platform, operators in multiple jurisdictions will gain access to Promatic Games quickly and efficiently. The cooperation will begin with Slovakia and the Czech Republic—both highly regulated markets where SYNOT already maintains a strong operator base—and will later extend to Romania, Croatia, and other Balkan markets. This geographic overlap between Promatic Games’ strategic goals and SYNOT Interactive’s established infrastructure makes the partnership especially powerful.
“At SYNOT Interactive, we are dedicated to building partnerships that create lasting value for both operators and players. We know Promatic Games’ content is strong in Poland, and we believe that, given the content’s quality and type, it can be a great fit for our Central European casino partners. By joining forces, we can accelerate innovation and deliver an enhanced player experience in regulated markets. We appreciate the technology that Promatic Games provides, and we are confident it will work well on the scale that SYNOT Interactive can offer,” said Petr Březina, Head of Sales, from SYNOT Interactive.
The agreement underscores how strategic alliances are shaping the future of the iGaming industry. With regulatory landscapes becoming increasingly complex, operators require diverse gaming content that meets local compliance standards. The cooperation between Promatic Games and SYNOT Interactive demonstrates how combining expertise can generate synergies in distribution, compliance, and player engagement, creating mutual benefits for both companies and their partners.
The post Promatic Games and SYNOT Interactive Announce Strategic Partnership to Strengthen iGaming Expansion in Central and Eastern Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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