- Almost two-thirds of Germans play computer games
- Respondents see developments in AI (28%) and cloud (21%) on the rise
- Only with a low-latency, high-bandwidth Internet infrastructure will these trends take hold.
Frankfurt (Germany), August 21, 2023. A representative survey* by the Internet Exchange operator DE-CIX shows that almost two-thirds of Germans (62 percent) immerse themselves in the virtual worlds of computer games in their free time. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also becoming increasingly important for German gamers, with more than a quarter of Germans (28 percent) seeing future potential for the industry in this area. Access to games via subscription models, equivalent to developments in the film industry, is anticipated by 16 percent. Almost a quarter (24 percent) see virtual reality glasses on the rise, while only 15 percent still see augmented reality applications making inroads. 29 percent expect to completely abandon traditional retail stores in favor of downloads in the future.
Future gaming fun needs the appropriate infrastructure
21 percent of respondents believe in the cloud as a future requirement for computer games. Nevertheless, only seven percent of those surveyed currently use cloud gaming offerings from manufacturers such as Nvidia, Xbox or PlayStation. Although the streaming of games via the Internet is offered as a fast and flexible alternative to local installation, almost all these gamers (94 percent) complain about Internet problems.
“Whether it’s digital distribution channels, cloud gaming or AI applications, all of these developments require a high-performance Internet infrastructure designed to deliver content to the end user in low latency and sufficient bandwidth,” explains Dr. Thomas King, CTO at DE-CIX. “Waiting times and input delays during gameplay affect the gaming experience. In addition to the ongoing broadband rollout, the direct connection of gaming networks with end-user access networks, also known as ‘peering’, can significantly improve the gaming experience. Technology should enable the gaming fun rather than getting in its way.”
38 percent of Germans devote themselves to computer games several times a week or on a daily basis. Even amongst the baby boomers, almost half (46 percent) of respondents play computer games.
While mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are clearly the most popular platforms (62 percent) for the time spent playing games, classics like the PC (39 percent) and the games console (32 percent) also have a firm place in the living rooms of the German Republic.
*Methodology
* The data used is based on an online survey conducted by YouGov Deutschland GmbH, in which 2045 people participated between 09 and 11 August, 2023. The results were weighted and are representative for the German population (age 18+).