View source for Video games in Germany

{{update|date=May 2022}}
{{short description|Overview of video games in Germany}}
[[File:Gamescom 2012.jpg|thumb|The [[Gamescom]] in [[Cologne]] is the world's largest gaming event, with 370,000 visitors and 1,037 exhibitors from 56 countries attending the event in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamescom.global/news/content-for-media-representatives/press-information-of-gamescom/press-information-of-gamescom.php?aktion=pfach&p1id=kmpresse_gamescom_e&format=html&base=&tp=kme9&search=&pmid=kmeigen.kmpresse_0480_2018pm23_e&start=0&anzahl=10&channel=kmeigen&language=e&archiv=|title=Final Report Gamescom 2018|publisher=gamescom.global|access-date=21 May 2018}}</ref>]]

[[Germany]] has the second-largest [[video game]]s player base in Europe, with 44.3 million gamers in 2018, after [[Video games in Russia|Russia]].<ref>[https://newzoo.com/insights/infographics/germany-games-market-2018/ "Germany Games Market 2018"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026025038/https://newzoo.com/insights/infographics/germany-games-market-2018/ |date=2018-10-26 }}, New Zoo, July 25, 2018</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://game-bundesverband.de/de/mit-266-milliarden-euro-ist-deutschland-groster-gamesmarkt-in-europa-newzoo-und-g-a-m-e-bundesverband-legen-marktzahlen-fur-2013-vor/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006082029/http://game-bundesverband.de/de/mit-266-milliarden-euro-ist-deutschland-groster-gamesmarkt-in-europa-newzoo-und-g-a-m-e-bundesverband-legen-marktzahlen-fur-2013-vor/ |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead |title=With 2.66&nbsp;billions Euros of revenue, Germany is Europe's top video game market, new data by Newzoo and G.A.M.E. |publisher=[[German Games Industry Association]] (GAME) |date=1 March 2014 |access-date=1 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Mastrapa |first=Gus |url=https://www.wired.com/2009/08/germany-becomes-europes-largest-videogame-market/ |title=Germany Becomes Europe's Largest Videogame Market |work=Wired.com |date=17 August 2009 |access-date=18 September 2014 |archive-date=6 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006080327/http://www.wired.com/2009/08/germany-becomes-europes-largest-videogame-market/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Consumers in Germany spent €5.87 billion on video games over the course of 2021, a 3 percent year-on-year increase from 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://allcorrectgames.com/insights/germany/|title= Germany's Gaming Market|date= 31 October 2021|access-date= 7 April 2023|archive-date= 7 April 2023|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230407084707/https://allcorrectgames.com/insights/germany/|url-status= live}}</ref> The video game market in Germany grew by 6 percent to €6.2 billion ($6.7 billion) in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/the-german-game-market-grew-by-6-percent-in-2019-thanks-to-in-game-spending|title=The German game market grew by 6 percent in 2019 thanks to in-game spending|first=Chris|last=Kerr|website=www.gamasutra.com|date=23 April 2020|access-date=27 April 2020|archive-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427162202/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/361717/The_German_game_market_grew_by_6_percent_in_2019_thanks_to_ingame_spending.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

The annual [[Gamescom]] in [[Cologne]] is the world's largest video game expo by number of attendees.<ref>{{cite press release |last=Tatár |first=Susanna |title=How Nvidia Will Be Going Big at Gamescom, the World's Biggest Gaming Show |url= http://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2014/08/14/how-nvidia-will-be-going-big-at-gamescom-the-worlds-biggest-gaming-show/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730123015/https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2014/08/14/how-nvidia-will-be-going-big-at-gamescom-the-worlds-biggest-gaming-show/ |archive-date=July 30, 2016 |url-status=dead |publisher=[[Nvidia]] |date=14 August 2014 |access-date=17 September 2014}}</ref>

==Home production==
===Origins===
German production of popular video-games began principally on the [[16-bit]] systems such as the [[Commodore International|Commodore]] [[Amiga]] and [[Atari]] [[Atari ST|ST]] in the 1980s, although a number of successful titles were also released on the [[Commodore 64]] which dominated the [[8-bit]] computer market in the country at the time. Popular developers of the 16-bit era included [[Thalion Software|Thalion]], [[Factor 5]] (who were responsible for developing the entire ''Turrican'' series) and [[Blue Byte]]. Blue Byte and Factor 5 remain in existence in 2006 and produce titles for Windows PCs.

===Modern day===
By 2002, German games were heavily tilted toward [[construction and management simulation]]s, according ''[[Der Spiegel]]''{{'}}s Frank Patalong. He noted that "nowhere else in the world are simulations as successful as here at home. Titles such as ''[[The Settlers]]'', ''[[Alien Nations|Die Völker]]'' [and] ''[[Anno 1602]]'' have dominated the German sales charts for years".<ref name=spiegel>{{cite web |archive-url= https://archive.today/20181130165401/http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/anno-1503-wuselige-zeitreise-a-220745.html |url= http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/anno-1503-wuselige-zeitreise-a-220745.html |title=Wuselige Zeitreise |date=January 11, 2002 |last=Patalong |first=Frank |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |url-status=live |language=de}}</ref> Released in 1998, ''Anno 1602'' by [[Sunflowers Interactive]] was Germany's best-selling computer game of all time as of December 2002, with sales of 2.5 million copies worldwide and 1.7 million in the German market.<ref name=n-tv>{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181130162131/https://www.n-tv.de/technik/Platin-fuer-Anno-1503-article116682.html |url= https://www.n-tv.de/technik/Platin-fuer-Anno-1503-article116682.html |title=Platin für ''Anno 1503'' |date=December 26, 2002 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |work=[[n-tv]] |language=de |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Its sequel, ''[[Anno 1503]]'', broke its sales record to become Germany's fastest full-price computer game to reach 500,000 domestic sales.<ref name=sonderpreis>{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181130014809/http://beta.gamesmarkt.de/details/147592 |url= http://beta.gamesmarkt.de/details/147592 |title=''Anno 1503'' schlägt ''Anno 1602'' |last=Steininger |first=Stefan |date=January 21, 2004 |work=GamesMarkt |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |language=de |url-status=live}}</ref> It ultimately sold over one million units in German-speaking countries,<ref name=1m>{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181201000249/http://beta.gamesmarkt.de/details/418357 |url= http://beta.gamesmarkt.de/details/418357 |title=''FIFA 17'' verkauft eine Millionen Units auf PS4 in Deutschland |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=May 15, 2017 |work=GamesMarkt |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |language=de |url-status=live}}</ref> and, when combined with its predecessor, reached 4.5 million sales worldwide by October 2006.<ref name=4m>{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100101213836/https://www.n-tv.de/technik/Teuerstes-Spiel-aus-Deutschland-article337536.html |url= https://www.n-tv.de/technik/Teuerstes-Spiel-aus-Deutschland-article337536.html |title=Teuerstes Spiel aus Deutschland |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=October 23, 2006 |archive-date=January 1, 2010 |work=[[n-tv]] |language=de |url-status=live}}</ref> The titles began the ''[[Anno (series)|Anno]]'' series.

One of the most famed titles to come out of Germany is ''[[Far Cry]]'' by [[Frankfurt]]-based [[Crytek]], who also produced ''[[Crysis]]''. Factor 5 had been concentrating on the ''[[Star Wars: Rogue Squadron]]'' series of video games from 1999 until 2003, and released ''[[Lair (video game)|Lair]]'', an action game for the [[PlayStation 3]], in 2007.

Ascaron produced the ''[[Elite (video game)|Elite]]'' homage ''[[Darkstar One]]'', and continued to produce the popular {{lang|de|[[Anstoss]]}} ({{abbr|lit.|literally}} 'Kickoff') series of [[Association football|football]] games, the first two installations of which were released under the title ''On the Ball'' in English-speaking countries.

The German Government, as a part of the Gamescom fair, has introduced an investment programme aimed towards the countrywide online games industry, with a purpose to offer assistance of as much as 50% of the cost of development.<ref>{{Citation |last=Cooper |first=Jonathan |title=The Game Development Environment |date=2019-01-14 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/b22299-2 |work=Game Anim Video Game Animation Explained |pages=11–26 |location=Boca Raton, FL|publisher=A K Peters/CRC Press |doi=10.1201/b22299-2 |isbn=978-1-315-10587-1 |s2cid=68062426 |access-date=2022-04-30|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Companies==
===Game developers from Germany===
{{See also|Category:Video game companies of Germany}}
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
!  '''Company'''
!  '''Location'''
!  '''Founded'''
!  '''Known for'''
|-
| [[A Grumpy Fox]]
| [[Frankfurt]]
| 2017
| ''[[Lunistice (video game)|Lunistice]]''
|-
| [[Aesir Interactive]]
| [[Munich]]
| 2013 <small>(Founded)</small>
| ''[[Police Simulator: Patrol Officers]]''
|-
| [[Animation Arts Creative]]
| [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]]
| 2003
| ''[[Secret Files]]'' series, ''[[Lost Horizon (video game)|Lost Horizon]]'', ''[[Lost Horizon 2]]''
|-
| [[Black Pants Studio]]
| [[Berlin]]
| 2010
| ''[[Tiny & Big in Grandpa's Leftovers]]'', ''[[About Love, Hate and the other ones]]'' series, ''[[On Rusty Trails]]''
|-
| [[Bytro Labs GmbH]]<br /><small>([[:de:Bytro_Labs|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Hamburg]]
| 2009
| ''Supremacy 1914, Call of War 1942, Conflict of Nations: WW3, Iron Order 1919''.
|-
| [[Chimera Entertainment]]<br /><small>([[:de:Chimera_Entertainment|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Munich]]
| 2006
|''[[Angry Birds Epic]], [[Angry Birds Evolution]]''
|-
| [[Kalypso Media#Subsidiaries|Claymore Game Studios]]
| [[Darmstadt]]
| 2020
| ''Commandos: Origins''
|-
| [[Clockwork Origins]]
| [[Erlangen]]
| 2018
| ''[[Elemental War]]'' series, ''[[Tri6: Infinite]]''
|-
| [[Common Colors (game developer)|Common Colors]]
| [[Langen, Hesse|Langen]]
| 2016
| ''[[PRIM (video game)|PRIM]]''
|-
| [[Crytek]]
| [[Frankfurt]]
| 1999
| [[Crysis|''Crysis'' series]], ''[[Far Cry (video game)|Far Cry]]'', ''[[Warface]]'', ''[[Hunt: Showdown]]''
|-
| [[Daedalic Entertainment]]
| [[Hamburg]]
| 2007
| [[Deponia (video game)|''Deponia'' series]], ''[[The Whispered World]]''
|-
| [[Deck13 Interactive|Deck13]]
| [[Frankfurt]]
| 2001
| ''[[Ankh (video game)|Ankh]]'' series, [[Jack Keane (video game)|''Jack Keane'']], ''[[Blood Knights]]'', ''[[Lords of the Fallen]]'', ''[[The Surge (video game)|The Surge]]''
|-
| Don VS Dodo GmbH
| [[Munich]]
| 2020
| ''Industry Giant 4.0''
|-
| [[Egosoft]]
| [[Würselen]]
| 1988
| [[X (game series)|''X'' series]]
|-
| [[Elaborate Games]]
| [[Würzburg]]
| 2019
| ''[[Elaborate Lands]]''
|-
| [[Electrocosmos]] {{efn|Electrocosmos also does co-dev & apps.}}
| [[Berlin]]
| 2012
| ''[[Runic Rampage]]'', ''[[The Plague Doctor of Wippra]]''
|-
| [[Encrypt Games (game developer)|Encrypt Games]]
| [[Germany]]
| 2020
| ''[[Lake Haven (video game)|Lake Haven]]''
|-
| Envision Entertainment {{efn|Envision Entertainment got its staff from shuttered Phenomic Game Development (later: EA Phenomic).}}
| [[Ingelheim am Rhein|Ingelheim]]
| 2013
| ''Path of War'' (2015, mobile), ''Pioneers of Pagonia''
|-
| [[Fluppisoft]]
| [[Aschau im Chiemgau]]
| 2015
| ''[[Brick Rigs]]''
|-
| [[Fourexo Entertainment]]
| [[Dresden]]
| 2020
| ''Highrise City''
|-
| [[Gaming Minds Studios]]
| [[Gütersloh]]
| 2009
| ''[[DarkStar One]]'', ''[[Patrician IV]]'', ''[[Port Royale 3: Pirates & Merchants|Port Royale 3]]'', ''[[The Dark Eye: Demonicon]]'', ''[[Railway Empire]]''
|-
| [[Gentlymad Studios UG]] {{efn|Gentlymad Studios was acquired by publisher Assemble Entertainment in Oct 2017.<ref name="Gentlymad-Assemble_1">{{cite web |title=Assemble Entertainment acquires Gentlymad Studios |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/assemble-entertainment-gentlymad-studios/ |website=www.gameswirtschaft.de |publisher=GamesWirtschaft |access-date=25 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204084709/https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/assemble-entertainment-gentlymad-studios/ |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |language=German |date=October 26, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Gentlymad-Assemble_2">{{cite web |author1=Madeline Ricchiuto |title=Assemble Entertainment Has Established Their First Internal Development Studio |url=https://bleedingcool.com/games/assemble-entertainment-established-first-internal-development-studio/ |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |publisher=[[Avatar Press]] |access-date=25 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113110901/https://bleedingcool.com/games/assemble-entertainment-established-first-internal-development-studio/ |archive-date=January 13, 2022 |language=English |date=November 2, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| [[Wiesbaden]]
| 2014
| ''[[In Between (2015 video game)|In Between (2015)]]'', ''[[Endzone: A World Apart]]''
|-
| [[THQ Nordic|Grimlore Games]]
| [[Maxvorstadt]]
| 2013
| ''[[SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest]], SpellForce 3: Fallen God, Titan Quest II''
|-
| [[Hexagon Sphere Games UG]]
| [[Hanover]]
| 2020
| ''[[Sphere - Flying Cities]]''
|-
| [[InnoGames]]
| [[Hamburg]]
| 2007
| ''[[Tribal Wars]], [[Forge of Empires]]''
|-
| [[Joymania Development GmbH]] {{efn|Joymania Entertainment's founders previously worked at Blue Byte Software GmbH. Their new studio was initially named "Ohlmann Peter & Sprys Adam GbR" in 1997-1998. Ex-Joymania Entertainment in 1998-2002.}}<br /><small>([[:de:Joymania_Development|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Mülheim]]
| 1997 <small>(Founded)</small>
| ''[[Knights and Merchants: The Shattered Kingdom|Knights and Merchants]], Santa Claus in Trouble'' (series)
|-
| [[Keen Games]] {{efn|Keen Games GmbH & Co. KG is the spiritual successor to Neon Studios with several of its co-founders.}}<br /><small>([[:de:Keen_Games|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Frankfurt]]
| 2005
| ''[[Secret Files: Tunguska]]'', ''[[Anno: Create A New World]]'', ''[[Sacred 3]]''
|-
| [[King Art Games]]
| [[Bremen]]
| 2000
| ''[[The Book of Unwritten Tales]]'', [[The Dwarves (video game)|''The Dwarves'']], ''[[Iron Harvest]]''
|-
| [[Limbic Entertainment]]<br /><small>([[:de:Limbic_Entertainment|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Langen, Hesse|Langen]]
| 2002
| ''[[Might & Magic Heroes VI]]'' series (Co-dev.), ''[[Might & Magic X: Legacy]], [[Might & Magic Heroes VII]]'' series, ''[[Tropico 6]]'' series
|-
| [[Mad about Pandas UG]] <br /><small>(Ex-kunst-stoff GmbH till ~2016)</small> {{efn|Mad about Pandas UG's prior firm name 'kunst-stoff' also did co-dev, edutainment, gamification, AR/VR & interactive apps.}}
| [[Berlin]]
| 2005
| ''[[Hitchhiker - A Mystery Game]]''
|-
| [[Navel GbR]]
| [[Ludwigsburg]]
| 2013
| ''[[Mimics (2017 video game)|Mimics]]'', ''[[Tilt Pack]]''
|-
| [[Kalypso Media#Nine Worlds Studios|Nine Worlds Studios]]
| [[Munich]]
| 2021
| ''[[Tropico 7]]''
|-
| [[OMYOG Games]]
| [[Cologne]]
| 2020
| ''[[Project Ferocious]]''
|-
| [[Proxy Studios]]
| [[Erlangen]]
| 2009
| ''[[Conquest: Divide and Conquer]], [[Pandora: First Contact]], [[Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War|WH40K: Gladius – Relics of War]], [[ZEPHON (video game)|ZEPHON]]''
|-
| [[Radical Fish Games]]
| [[Saarbrücken]]
| 2010
| ''[[CrossCode]]''
|-
| [[Randwerk Cooperative]]
| [[Berlin]]
| 2020
| ''[[ABRISS - build to destroy]]''
|-
| [[Reakktor Studios]] {{efn|Reakktor Studios is a new revival after Reakktor Media went down in 2012.}}
| [[Hanover]]
| 2014
| ''[[Toxikk]],[[Neocron]] G-Rebels''
|-
| [[Realmforge Studios]]
| [[Munich]]
| 2008
| ''[[Ceville]]'', ''[[M.U.D. TV]]'', ''[[Dungeons (video game)|Dungeons]]'', ''[[Dark (video game)|Dark]]'', ''[[Startopia#Legacy|Spacebase Startopia]]''
|-
| [[Related Designs]] (Blue Byte Mainz) {{efn|Related Designs Software was renamed Ubisoft Mainz in 2019.}}
| [[Mainz]]
| 1995
| [[Anno (series)|''Anno'' series]], ''[[No Man's Land (video game)|No Man's Land]]'', ''[[Might and Magic: Heroes Online]]''
|-
| [[Siactro]] {{efn|Games by the sole developer of Siactro were published by Diplodocus Games.}}
| [[Cologne Bonn Region]]
| 2011
| ''Super Kiwi 64''
|-
| Stefan Kelnberger GmbH
| [[Untergriesbach]]
| 2021
| ''Railroads Online''
|-
| [[SureAI]]
| [[Tutzing]]
| 2003
| ''Mad Restaurant People, Dreadful River''. Mods for ''[[The Elder Scrolls]]'' & ''[[Fallout (franchise)|Fallout]]'' series.
|-
| [[Ubisoft Berlin]]
| [[Berlin]]
| 2018
| [[Far Cry|''Far Cry'' series]]
|-
| [[Ubisoft Blue Byte]]
| [[Düsseldorf]]
| 1988
| [[The Settlers|''The Settlers'' series]], ''[[Assassin's Creed Identity]]''
|-
| [[Yager Development]]
| [[Berlin]]
| 1999
| ''[[Dead Island 2]]'', ''[[Spec Ops: The Line]]''
|}
<!--- [[49Games]], Category:Video games developed in Germany, btf – Bildundtonfabrik, Massive Miniteam GmbH (Also co-dev), Saftladen Berlin Collective (Paintbucket Games, Megagon Industries, Serious Bros., Crafting Legends, Maschinen-Mensch, Studio Fizbin), Gloho Games UG (2023 game. Founded 2020 in Nuremberg.), Homo Narrans Studio (Founded 2021 in Leipzig. Adventure game.), Stratosphere Games GmbH (Online, mobile games) --->

==== Former studios ====
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
!  '''Company'''
!  '''Location'''
!  '''Founded'''
!  '''Known for'''
|-
| [[Ascaron]]
| [[Gütersloh]]
| 1992 (Defunct 2009)
| ''[[Sacred (video game)|Sacred]]'', ''[[DarkStar One]]''
|-
| [[Attic Entertainment Software]]
| [[Albstadt]]
| 1990 (Defunct 2001)
| ''[[Realms of Arkania: Shadows over Riva]]''
|-
| CAPS Softwaredesign ULM
| [[Germany]]
| 1994~ (Defunct ~1996)
| ''Arcy 2, Jack Flash, [[Bot Soccer]]''
|-
| [[Coreplay]] {{efn|Coreplay's co-founder Peter Ohlmann previously worked at Blue Byte Software GmbH and early version of Joymania Entertainment.}}
| [[Munich]]
| 2007 <small>(Migrated to THQ Nordic as Grimlore Games in 2013)</small>
| ''[[Germany's Next Topmodel|Germany's Next Topmodel 2009]]'', ''[[Ion Assault]]'', ''[[Jagged_Alliance_(series)#Jagged_Alliance:_Back_in_Action|Jagged Alliance: Back in Action]]''
|-
| [[EA Phenomic]]
| [[Ingelheim am Rhein|Ingelheim]]
| 1997 (Defunct 2013)
| ''[[SpellForce: The Order of Dawn]]''
|-
| eleven Software
| [[Germany]]
| 1992~ (Defunct ~1994)
| ''Dynatech'', 2 adult games
|-
| [[Factor 5]]
| [[Cologne]]
| 1987 (Defunct 2011)
| ''[[Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (series)]], [[Turrican]]''
|-
| [[Fusionsphere Systems]]
| [[Aichach]]
| 2006 (Defunct 2017)<br /><small>(Merged into Animation Arts)</small>
| ''[[Secret Files]]'' series
|-
| [[House of Tales]]
| [[Bremen]]
| 1998 (Defunct 2010)
| ''[[The Mystery of the Druids]]'', ''[[The Moment of Silence]]'', ''[[Overclocked: A History of Violence|Overclocked]]'', ''[[15 Days (video game)|15 Days]]''
|-
| Intergenies
| [[Coesfeld]]
| 1999 (Inactive after 2017)
| ''[[DoveZ - The Second Wave]]''
|-
| [[Kritzelkratz 3000 GmbH]]
| [[Würzburg]]
| 1996 (Inactive after 2016)
| ''Go Kart Challenge'' (1999), ''[[Far West (video game)|Far West]]'' (2002. Co-dev.), ''[[Railroad Pioneer]]''
|-
| [[LightBrain GmbH]]
| [[Ellerau]]
| 2001 (Defunct 2009)
| ''[[BomberFUN]]''
|-
| [[Massive Development]]
| [[Mannheim]]
| 1994 (Defunct 2005)
| ''[[AquaNox]]''
|-
| [[Master Creating GmbH]]
| [[Hamburg]]
| 2001 (Defunct 2007)
| ''Krakout Unlimited, [[Restricted Area (video game)|Restricted Area]], [[Legend: Hand of God]]''
|-
| [[Mimimi Games]]
| [[Munich]]
| 2011 (Defunct 2023)
|''[[Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun|Shadow Tactics]], [[Desperados III]], [[Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew|Shadow Gambit]]''
|-
| [[NEON Software GmbH]] {{efn|NEON Software GmbH (aka. Neon Studios) was bought by [[JoWood]] in 2000, but then closed down due to latter's financial difficulties. Different co-founders/shareholders later founded ZEAL GmbH, 49Games GmbH, & Keen Games. One co-founder previously founded Kaiko GmbH.}}<br /><small>([[:de:Neon Studios|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Germany]] ([[Frankfurt]]?)
| 1993 (Defunct 2005)
| ''[[Mr. Nutz: Hoppin' Mad]], [[Tunnel B1]], [[Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M.]] <small>(GBC)</small>, [[Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX (video game)|Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX]] <small>(GBC)</small>, [[Legend of Kay]]''
|-
| [[NumLock Software]]
| [[Ludwigshafen]]
| 1994 (Defunct/inactive 2008)
| ''[[Metalheart: Replicants Rampage]]'', ''[[Campus: Student Life Simulation]]''
|-
| [[Piranha Bytes]]
| [[Essen]]
| 1997 (Closed 2024)
| [[Gothic (video game)|''Gothic'' series]], [[Risen (video game)|''Risen'' series]], [[ELEX|''ELEX'' series]]
|-
| [[Playcademy]]
| [[Germany]]
| 2012 (Est.) (Defunct 2018)
| Mobile/[[Hidden object game|Hidden object games]]: eg. ''[[Farmington Tales]], [[Tales of Lagoona]]''
|-
| [[Radon Labs]] {{efn|Radon Labs' name was founded in 2000 by the staff of TerraTools GmbH as its name closed down.}}
| [[Berlin]]
| 1995 (Defunct 2010)
| ''[[Drakensang: The Dark Eye]]''
|-
| Reakktor Media GmbH {{efn|Reakktor Media was called Century Interactive in 1991-1997; reakktor.com in 1997-2001.}}<br /><small>([[:de:Reakktor Media|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Hanover]]
| 1991 (Defunct 2012)
| ''[[Subtrade]], [[Bermuda Syndrome]], [[Neocron]], [[Black Prophecy]]''
|-
| [[Software 2000]] <small>(Ex-Cybernetic Corporation)</small>
| [[Eutin]]
| 1987 (Defunct 2002)
| ''[[Pizza Tycoon]], [[Exploration (video game)|Exploration]], [[Ocean Trader]], [[Swing (video game)|Swing (1997)]], [[Fast Food Tycoon]]''
|-
| [[Spellbound Entertainment]]
| [[Offenburg]]
| 1994 (Defunct 2012)
| ''[[Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive]], [[Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood]]''
|-
| [[Spieleentwicklungskombinat GmbH]] {{efn|Spieleentwicklungskombinat GmbH had an abbreviation as "SEK-Ost".}}<br /><small>([[:de:Spieleentwicklungskombinat|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Berlin]]
| 1998 (Defunct 2007)
| ''[[Diggles: The Myth of Fenris]], [[ParaWorld]]''
|-
| Tantalus Software
| [[Germany]]
| 1995~ (Defunct ~1995)
| ''Abaron'' (1995)
|-
| [[Thalion Software]]
| [[Gütersloh]]
| 1988 (Defunct 1994)
| ''[[Amberstar]]'', ''[[Ambermoon]]''
|-
| Westka Interactive GmbH (Westka Kommunikation GmbH) {{efn|Westka was the interactive entertainment arm of German media companies [[Brainpool TV]] and [[VIVA Media]].}}
| [[Cologne]]
| 1993 (Defunct 2002)
| ''[[The Famous Five|The Famous Five: Kidnapped!]]'', ''[[Arcatera|Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood]]''
|-
| [[Wings Simulations GmbH]]<br /><small>([[:de:Wings_Simulations|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Hattingen]]
| 1996 (Closed by [[JoWood]] in 2005)
| ''[[Panzer Elite]], [[Söldner: Secret Wars]]''
|}
<!--- Add these? [[Cranberry Production]], m2p entertainment GmbH (online games), --->

===Co-development===
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
!  '''Company'''
!  '''Location'''
!  '''Founded'''
!  '''Known for'''
!  '''Notes'''
|-
| Conitec Datensysteme GmbH<br />(Also 'Conitec Datasystems, Inc.')
| [[Dieburg]]
| 1985
| [[3D GameStudio|Middleware engine]]; former publisher. Also hardware & software.
|
|-
| Independent Arts Software GmbH<br /><small>([[:fr:Independent Arts|FR wiki]])</small>
| [[Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia|Hamm]]
| 1990
| Dev, co-dev, porting.
|
|-
| LAB132
| [[Ostfildern]]
| 2017
| Dev, co-dev, porting, VR.
|
|-
| MAWI United GmbH
| [[Wuppertal]]
| 2009
| Sells AAA environment asset packs; makes high end animations, VFX, cinematics, pipeline development & real-time 3D renders (including tech demos).
|
|-
| NeoBird GmbH & Co. KG
| [[Nuremberg]]
| 2012
| Dev, co-dev, AR/VR, gamification, serious games, mobile & web apps, 3D Viz, real-time 3D.
|
|-
| NUKKLEAR GmbH
| [[Hanover]]
| 2011
| Dev, co-dev, porting.
| Bought by Jumpgate AB in 2023.
|-
| [[The Light Works - Digital Imagery]]
| [[Cologne]]
| 1996
| 2D/3D digital graphics, illustrations, cutscenes
|
|}

===Game publishers from Germany===
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|-
! scope="col" |Company
! scope="col" |Location
! scope="col" |Founded
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Type
|-
| [[Activision Blizzard|Activision Blizzard Deutschland GmbH]] {{efn|Activision Blizzard Deutschland's had many other former names in 1993 to 2008 - brief examples: Sierra Coktel, CUC Software, Cendant Software, HAVAS Interactive, Vivendi Universal. Ceased publishing in 2010.}}
| [[Ismaning]] branch
| 1993
| distributor and former publisher
|-
| [[Aeria Games]] {{efn|Aeria Games merged with gamigo in mid-2016.}}
| [[Berlin]] HQ
| 2006 <small>(Founded in [[San Francisco]])</small>
| publisher (online games). <small>([[:de:Aeria_Games|DE wiki]])</small>
|-
| [[Application Systems Heidelberg Software|Application Systems]]
| [[Heidelberg]]
| 1985
| publisher, distributor and developer. <small>([[:de:Application Systems Heidelberg|DE wiki]])</small>
|-
| [[Assemble Entertainment]]
| [[Wiesbaden]] HQ
| 2016
| publisher and developer. <small>([[:de:Assemble Entertainment|DE wiki]])</small>
|-
| [[Astragon]]
| [[Düsseldorf]]
| 2000
| publisher
|-
| [[Bigpoint Games]]
| [[Hamburg]] HQ
| 2002
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[bitComposer Interactive]]
| [[Eschborn]] HQ
| 2009
| publisher and former developer
|-
| [[Blankhans GmbH]]
| [[Munich]]
| 2021
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[Broken Lobster GmbH|Broken Lobster]]
| [[Berlin]] HQ
| 2021
| publisher and developer
|-
| Buchwald Interactive
| [[Karlsruhe]]
| 2020
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[ByteRockers' Games]]
| [[Berlin]] HQ
| 2008
| publisher and developer (casual)
|-
| [[CipSoft]]
| [[Regensburg]]
| 2001
| publisher and developer (online games). <small>([[:de:CipSoft|DE wiki]])</small>
|-
| Competition Company GmbH
| [[Munich]] HQ
| 2020
| publisher, marketing and developer (sims)
|-
| deCode GmbH
| [[Freising]] HQ
| 2018 <small>(Ex-Descape GmbH till 2020)</small>
| publisher and developer (websites, also games)
|-
| [[Diplodocus Games]]
| [[Hagen]]
| 2015
| publisher and developer
|-
| FDG Entertainment
| [[Munich]] HQ
| 2001
| core publisher and mobile developer
|-
| [[GameDuell]]
| [[Berlin]] HQ
| 2003
| distributor and developer
|-
| [[Gameforge]]
| [[Karlsruhe]] HQ
| 2003
| publisher
|-
| [[gamigo AG|gamigo]]
| [[Hamburg]] HQ
| 2000
| publisher. <small>([[:de:Gamigo|DE wiki]])</small>
|-
| [[Goodgame Studios]]
| [[Hamburg]] HQ
| 2009
| publisher and developer
|-
| Gunzilla Games
| [[Frankfurt]] HQ
| 2020
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[HandyGames]]
| [[Giebelstadt]]
| 2000
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[Headup Games]]
| [[Düren]]
| 2009
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[HH-Games]]
| [[Frankfurt]]
| 2018
| publisher and former developer (casual)
|-
| [[Kalypso Media]]
| [[Worms, Germany|Worms]] HQ
| 2006
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[Magic Bytes]] {{efn|Magic Bytes was a 1987 label of former German publisher, micro-partner Software GmbH, based in Gütersloh, Germany, which existed in 1986-1991. Their last published game was in 2000. The firm was revived in 2017 in Orlando, Florida with another office in Bielefeld, Germany.}}
| [[Bielefeld]] office
| 1987
| publisher and former developer
|-
| [[MegaZebra]]
| [[Munich]] HQ
| 2008
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[Mooneye Studios]]
| [[Hamburg]]
| 2014
| publisher and developer
|-
| NBG EDV Handels- und Verlags GmbH {{efn|NBG EDV was bought by Activision in 1997. Does distribution only since 2011.}}
| [[Burglengenfeld]]
| 1988
| distributor and former publisher
|-
| [[Nintendo|Nintendo of Europe GmbH]]
| [[Frankfurt]] HQ
| 1990
| publisher and main HQ for Nintendo's European division
|-
| [[Overhype Studios]]
| [[Hamburg]] HQ
| 2014
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[Pixelsplit GmbH & Co. KG|Pixelsplit Simulations]]
| [[Frankfurt]]
| 2017
| publisher and developer
|-
| Rohn Media GmbH
| [[Leipzig]] HQ
| 2014
| publisher and developer (mobile/web)
|-
| Schwiezer System GmbH {{efn|Schwiezer System is parent of Century/Reakktor, Nord XR.}}
| [[Hanover]]
| 1991
| publisher, producer: core games; VR apps, media. Marketing.
|-
| [[TopWare Interactive]]
| [[Karlsruhe]]
| 1996
| publisher and former developer
|-
| [[Travian Games]]
| [[Munich]] HQ
| 2005
| publisher and developer
|-
| [[Ulisses Spiele|Ulisses Digital]]
| [[Waldems]] HQ
| 1991
| publisher and developer. <small>([[:de:Ulisses Spiele|DE wiki - Board games firm]])</small>
|-
| [[Kosmos (publisher)|United Soft Media]]
| [[Munich]] HQ
| 1994
| publisher. <small>([[:de:United Soft Media|DE wiki]])</small>
|-
| [[Wooga]] 
| [[Berlin]] HQ
| 2009
| publisher and developer
|}
<!--- [[10tacle Studios]], [[CDV Software]], Playa Games GmbH (online casual games) --->

====Former publishers====
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|-
! scope="col" |Company
! scope="col" |Location
! scope="col" |Founded
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Type
|-
| [[Activision|Activision Deutschland GmbH]] {{efn|Activision Deutschland's former name was "Take Us! Marketing & Consulting GmbH" in 1995 to 1997-06. "Take Us!" Was bought by Activision in 1997. Publishing taken over by "Activision Blizzard Deutschland GmbH" in 2008.}}
| [[Burglengenfeld]] branch
| 1995 <small>(Defunct 2009)</small>
| publisher and former distributor
|-
| [[dtp entertainment]]
| [[Hamburg]] HQ
| 1995 <small>(Defunct 2012)</small>
| publisher and developer
|-
| Innonics GmbH
| [[Hanover]]
| 1998 <small>(Defunct 2002)</small>
| publisher, distributor and developer
|-
| Lifetimes
| [[Germany]]
| 1988~ <small>(Defunct ~1995)</small>
| publisher
|-
| phenomedia publishing gmbh {{efn|The former names of "phenomedia" were "Art Department Werbeagentur GmbH" in 1993-1999 and "Phenomedia AG" in 1999-2004.}}
| [[Bochum]]
| 1993 <small>(Defunct ~2022)<ref name="phenomedia_ND">{{cite web |title=North Data registry for phenomedia publishing GmbH |url=https://www.northdata.com/phenomedia+publishing+GmbH,+Moers/Amtsgericht+Kleve+HRB+12424 |website=www.northdata.com |publisher=North Data Smart Research |access-date=19 October 2023 |language=English |date=August 29, 2022 |archive-date=26 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026235454/https://www.northdata.com/phenomedia+publishing+GmbH,+Moers/Amtsgericht+Kleve+HRB+12424 |url-status=live }}</ref></small>
| publisher, developer and former licensing (casual games)
|-
| Procom Datentechnik GmbH
| [[Germany]]
| 1995~ <small>(Defunct ~1995)</small>
| publisher
|-
| [[Rainbow Arts]] {{efn|Most of Rainbow Arts people moved to or formed new companies in the late 1980s/early 1990s (e.g. Blue Byte, Factor 5, Spellbound Entertainment). Rainbow Arts became part of Softgold/Funsoft, then bought out by [[THQ]] in 1999.}}<br /><small>([[:de:Rainbow_Arts|DE wiki]])</small>
| [[Gütersloh]] HQ
| 1984 <small>(Defunct 1999)</small>
| publisher, developer, producer and porting
|-
| [[SoftKey|TLC Tewi Verlag GmbH]]
| [[Munich]]
| 1977~ <small>(Defunct ~1999)</small>
| publisher and distributor (books, software); game business in 1995-1999
|}

==Games==
===Popular titles from Germany===
* ''[[Ambermoon]]''
* ''[[Ankh (video game)|Ankh]]''
* ''[[Anstoss]]''
* ''[[Anno (series)|Anno]]'' series
* ''[[AquaNox]]'' series
* ''[[BeamNG]]''
* ''[[Brick Rigs]]''
* ''[[Crazy Chicken]]'' series
* ''[[CrossCode]]''
* ''[[Crysis (series)|Crysis]]'' series
* ''[[Deponia (video game)|Deponia]]'' series
* ''[[Desperados (video game series)|Desperados]]'' series
* [[ELEX|''Elex'']] series
* ''[[Far Cry]]'' series
* ''[[FIFA Manager (video game series)|FIFA Manager]]'' series
* ''[[Gothic series|Gothic]]'' series
* ''[[Katakis]]''
* ''[[Knights and Merchants: The Shattered Kingdom]]''
* ''[[Lunistice (video game)]]''
* ''[[Might and Magic]]'' series (eg. ''X'')
* ''[[Heroes of Might and Magic]]'' series (eg. ''VI'' & ''VII'' series)
* ''[[Risen (series)|Risen]]'' series
* ''[[Sacred (video game)]]''
* ''[[Signalis]]''
* ''[[Spec Ops: The Line]]''
* ''[[SpellForce]]'' series
* ''[[Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (series)|Star Wars: Rogue Squadron]]'' series
* ''[[The Dark Eye (role-playing game)#Video games|The Dark Eye]]'' franchise
** Original ''[[Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny|Realms of Arkania]]'' trilogy
** ''[[Drakensang: The Dark Eye|Drakensang]]'' duology
* ''[[The Great Giana Sisters]]''
* ''[[The Settlers]]'' series
* ''[[Tropico (video game)|Tropico]]'' series (eg. ''[[Tropico 6|#6]]'' series)
* ''[[Turrican]]''
* ''[[X (game series)|X]]'' series

===Consumption===
Within Germany there is a popular taste for historical trade and warfare simulations, notably exceeding that of many other countries. Some German-developed titles in this genre, such as ''[[1602 A.D.]]'' and its sequels, and ''[[The Patrician (video game)|The Patrician]]'', have also been successful abroad.

[[Vehicle simulator]] games are also very popular in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/features/report/6226/call-that-escapism/ |title=How Germans do escapism |access-date=2017-06-02 |archive-date=2017-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607184647/http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/features/report/6226/call-that-escapism/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Many add-on developers for established simulator franchises, including [[Railworks|Train Simulator]] and [[Microsoft Flight Simulator]], are based in Germany, with one of the most popular, [[Aerosoft]], being based in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]].

[[First-person shooter]]s have also been traditionally quite popular in recent years, and there has been [[#The USK and censorship|considerable debate about and censorship of]] the [[Video game controversy|violent content]] of many such games.  Consequently these games, especially uncut versions, became highly coveted in gaming circles for many years (though the modern Internet and [[Virtual private network|VPNs]] allow players virtually anywhere to obtain a game from, or play on a server hosted in, virtually any other jurisdiction today).

==Trade fairs==
[[File:Games Convention 2006 Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Games Convention]] 2006 in [[Leipzig]], Germany]]

From 2002 to 2008 the main video game trade fair in Germany was the [[Games Convention]] which was held annually in [[Leipzig]], and was highly recognized by the press. Since 2009 it was discontinued, as the [[Gamescom]] in [[Cologne]] took the place of the major video game trade fair in the world.

==The USK, BPjM and censorship==
{{See also|Unbanning of violent video games in Germany}}

Violence in video games is a controversial subject in Germany, and German localisations of violent games are often heavily cut by the publishers to permit a public release. Usually this entails a simple removal or reduction of depictions of blood and gore, but often extends to cuts in the content or plot of the game, as was the case in ''[[Phantasmagoria (video game)|Phantasmagoria]]'', ''[[Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh]]'', ''[[Counter-Strike]]'', ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein: The New Order]]'', and ''[[South Park: The Stick of Truth]]''.

All games that are released to the public are required to carry a certificate given by the USK ({{lang|de|[[Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle]]}} – Voluntary Monitoring Organisation of Entertainment Software). The compulsory nature of the USK label was a consequence of the 2003 modification of the {{lang|de|Jugendschutzgesetz}} or youth protection law. If the USK has not issued a label, a game may be placed upon the "index" of media harmful to youth kept by the BPjM ([[Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons]]). This results, at least, in a ban on promoting the game in any way and strict requirements for age checks. As prosecutors are inconsistent on whether reviews are a form of promotion this creates a [[chilling effect]] on games journalism for the affected titles. The strict requirements for age checks frequently lead to a game being taken off the market entirely, or only being made available in a cut version even for adults, due to economic considerations by developers/publishers. Independently, courts may also issue confiscation orders against games deemed to be especially egregious, resulting in an outright ban.

The 2003 changes to the {{lang|de|Jugendschutzgesetz}} also announced an intent to extend the restrictions on the depiction of violence in video games, leaving open the possibility of banning any depiction of violence in video games, which was met by widespread outcry from the video game community in Germany. The then in power [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]/[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] coalition government announced an intention to enact this in 2005, but in November 2006 such restrictions were not enacted at that time.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}

== See also ==

* {{Interlanguage link|Killerspiel|lt=''Killerspiel''|de|Killerspiel}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{History of video games}}
{{Europe topic |Video games in}}

[[Category:Video gaming in Germany| ]]