More Germans are playing video games than ever before, particularly those aged 60+

Over 37.5 million people play video games in Germany, the highest number ever recorded for the country.

A boost in the number of over-60s gamers, which has grown from 6.4 million people to 7.7 million in just 12 months, has pushed the average age of players past 39 for the first time, up from 38.2 in 2023. 52% of German gamers identify as men and 48% as women. It’s thought that the increase in older gamers doesn’t necessarily pertain to older people picking up new gaming hobbies, but more likely represents the aging population of those who have grown up gaming.

The new data, based on statistics gathered by YouGov Shopper, Nielsen IQ, and data.ai, showed that about 6 in 10 people (59%) aged six to 69 in Germany play video games, an increase of around 9% since 2020, 79% of whom are aged 18 or over.

“Games fascinate millions of people in Germany – young and old, women and men,” said says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, which commissioned the data.

“The majority of Germans have been playing games for a long time and the number is increasing. The steadily rising average age of gamers is also exciting: we are fast approaching the age of 40. This makes clear what still surprises many people: whether they are 17 or 70, games inspire people of all ages and the proportion of older players is growing particularly strongly.”

Back in October, Germany’s Minister of State for Culture and the Media invited German developers to pitch “brilliant game ideas” and apply for funding via the Press Start: Games Startup Grant fund.