Gaming 2023: “Cultural Assets” Computer Games – Games and Business

Video and computer games are becoming more and more important. This is a major result of representative survey On behalf of the Bitkom Digital Association. More than half (53 percent) of Germans aged 16 and over play video games at least sometimes. Among young people ages 16 to 29 it is 91 percent, between ages 30 to 49 it is 74 percent and among ages 50 to 64 it is 46 percent. In the 65+ demographic, every fifth person (19 percent) plays. 39 percent of gamers say they can no longer imagine life without video and computer games.

According to Bitkom, Gamescom is equally popular. The world’s largest trade fair for computer and video games begins on Wednesday, August 23 in Cologne. For many, there’s more to gaming: According to a survey, video and computer games are a sociocultural asset for 51 percent of gamers, like books, movies, or music. Almost half (49 percent) of gamers are convinced that this teaches them important real-life skills, such as teamwork, responsiveness, or strategic thinking.

“Games have always been more than entertainment. Through interactive gaming experiences, users become aware of modern technology in a playful way. As they immerse themselves in virtual worlds, they intuitively learn how to use digital interfaces, menu navigation, and control options,” says Dr. Sebastien Kloss, Head of Consumer Technology at Bitkom. “Anyone who has completely immersed himself in a game knows how quickly you can forget about time and space when playing. But the majority of gamers are well aware of this.” 6 in 10 gamers (60 percent) say that video and computer games crowd out other hobbies such as reading or sports. 57 percent of gamers say that video and computer games sometimes lead to a neglect of social contacts in real life.

Photo: © Drobot Dean – stock.adobe.com