Students in Germany are considered one of the last generations who are still particularly active in video games. It's obvious why, as in addition to their studies and a possible part-time job, they usually don't have very busy schedules. However, as statistics now show, it is primarily the 50+ generation who are active in video games. We'll look at how this fits together.
Almost 10 million players over 50
If you like to play, you are not alone in Germany. Last year, 34.1 million people said they played video games at least occasionally. This is a relatively constant number that has been in the same range for years. However, as a study now shows, students are by no means the largest user group. Rather, it is the 50+ generation that has risen to number one in recent years and has consistently expanded this position. While 7.3 million people 50+ were active in 2014, the number is currently 9.9 million. Meanwhile, the typical student generation between 20 and 29 was losing ground. The number of users fell from 5.8 million to 5 million.
eSports itself has a lot to offer. All you need to do is take a look at the most popular games. For example, if you look at the data on Twitch, the most popular game, Counter Strike : Global Offensive, has more than 25 million viewer hours. There are also games like League of Legends, Dota 2 and Overwatch, which also attract millions of viewers around the world. The huge potential of the eSports scene also means there are many opportunities for university graduates to gain a foothold in an up-and-coming industry. For 2023, experts expect global sales of 1.6 billion euros, which already dwarfs most traditional sports.
Why is eSports so influential for the future?
The reasons for the popularity of eSports lie in particular in their easy accessibility. Most of us, at university anyway, have a PC, laptop and a smartphone. All devices are usually so new that they are able to play modern games without any problems. This creates a customer base who will at least try out video games at some point, without any effort. By doing this, sooner or later they will also come into contact with eSports, be it as an athlete or a spectator. The increasing popularity of eSports led to large sponsorship contracts such as Telekom and the sponsor Betway offering sports betting on the most important tournaments. The betting options are becoming increasingly larger. This allows viewers to convert their expertise into successful bets.
Another option for students is to major in computer science . As more and more games are being developed, the need for skilled workers among developers, publishers and many others is also high. New games are released every day, meaning particularly passionate IT experts have good career prospects. The rapidly increasing popularity of the entire industry is not only exciting for all gamers themselves. Rather, it is an economically worthwhile branch that, as we saw above, is not only suitable for younger people. Rather, the 50+ target group has long since become a decisive factor in development.
New statistics show that video games are played primarily by the 50+ generation.
