Despite inflation, the French video game market recorded record growth of 10%. In 2023, it reached a historic peak at 6.1 billion euros.
The French video game industry had an exceptional year in 2023, there is no better description. The latter was marked by significant growth in a difficult macroeconomic context, characterized by high inflation. This success in any case confirms France’s position as one of the most dynamic markets in Europe.
The French video game crosses the 6 billion euros turnover mark for the first time in its history
French video games therefore generated a record turnover of 6.064 billion euros in 2023, with remarkable growth of 9.9% over one year and 9% since 2020, as revealed this Thursday by the Publishers’ Union of leisure software (SELL), an association which represents video game publishers in France.
Whether the console, PC Gaming or mobile segments, all have played a crucial role in this crazy growth of French video games, by displaying complementary performances, to propel the market to new heights.
The console ecosystem alone has exceeded 3 billion euros in turnover (52% of the total value of French video games), with a spectacular increase of 24.1% compared to 2022. Its growth is even higher (6 points more) than last year.
Console sales have greatly contributed to the good year of video games in France
Behind, the mobile and PC gaming markets are struggling. But in 2023, it is mobile which has taken the advantage by reaching 1.483 billion euros in turnover, thanks to growth of 4.8% compared to 2022. The PC Gaming ecosystem is in decline (-8.5%), it is also the only one to do so, with revenues of 1.432 billion euros.
If we push the analysis a little further, we note that hardware (equipment) increased by 16% in 2023, thanks to very significant sales of consoles (+72% on the console market, to 1.059 billion euros). Sales of accessories also increased significantly in 2023, whether on consoles (+18%) or PC (+22%).
Concerning game sales, and therefore software, they experienced approximately similar growth last year: +7% on consoles (1.7 billion euros), +6% on PC (501 million euros ). These increases are to be credited to sales of complete dematerialized games.
Paid mobile applications definitely shunned by the French
Finally, a word about mobile. One statistic is particularly striking: of the turnover (1.483 billion euros) generated, only 12 million (-22%) comes from… paid applications, which are definitely not a success. Free applications when downloaded are still a success, with 1.463 billion euros in revenue, up 6%.
These excellent figures for French video games still need to be tempered. James Rebours, the president of SELL, explains that most of them are “ correctives to atypical or even abnormal past situations “. He thus expects a “ possible “normalization” in 2024 “.
4