PC Gaming Decline in Germany: Numbers Fall to 13.1 Million, Marking a 20% Drop Since 2019

I’m stepping into this like I’m wandering into a strange room at a party. So, get this—Germany’s gaming scene? It’s going through this, uh, kinda weird phase. Like those awkward teenage years but for PCs. Since 2019, PC gaming has sorta taken a nosedive—20% down, if you believe the charts. And these are supposed facts from Game.de, the German games industry’s spokesperson or something. They have this chart, very official—like, showing console gaming shooting up like a kid who just discovered sugar.

Now, consoles are all the rage. They’ve got this mojo going, this groove or whatever. Game.de starts off by pointing out consoles are on a roll—like, downhill in a good way though. If they keep this up, they’ll basically dominate Germany. Imagine, your living room turning into a gaming console shrine. Totally wild.

And then there’s this graph, which, if you squint, suggests consoles will go way up. It’s like a ramp, a steep one—13 degrees or something. Don’t ask me how they measure that, but it sounds like their pedal game is strong.

Why consoles are winning? Game.de thinks folks are losing their minds over the new stuff from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. They’re tweaking consoles so much, you’d think they were Mission Impossible gadgets. Like, PS5 Pro and the fancy Nintendo Switch OLED. And now there’s Switch 2—so we’re all watching. Germany’s console users are creeping up on smartphone gamers. Wild, right? A face-off: 20.5 million console people versus 22.9 million phone gamers.

Turning over to PCs, it’s like reading a tragic novel. They’ve plummeted since 2019—13.1 million gamers in 2024, but it feels like they’re fading against the bright lights of consoles. Back in 2019, PCs were the king of the hill. Now they play second fiddle, a sob story if there ever was one.

There’s a lotta speculation, like, why’s PC gaming hitting the skids? Game.de’s report just shrugs. Industry’s on a “growth break,” they say. Why? Maybe ‘cause game and hardware sales have dropped—17% and 10%, whichever comes first. But online gaming? It’s having a moment—up 12%, a rare blip of sunshine.

Supply issues, maybe? Components being stuck or boring as toast for the budget gamer. It’s anybody’s guess. Strange, like we’re missing a mystery twist.

I dug around and couldn’t dig up a similar scene for the U.S. or the world. Guess Game.de has the inside track with YouGov. Anyway, if you’re here for updates, follow Tom’s Hardware. Apparently, they’ve got the goods on the latest tech hiccups and happy accidents in the gaming world. Go hit that follow thingy.