Probably no person in Poland who would not hear the information about the premiere of Cyberpunk 2077 in December. Video games are no longer an electrifying product only for players, and the Polish stock exchange records a substantial number of gaming companies. What was the last year in the gaming industry like?
The Polish gaming industry was doing well before 2020. According to the report “The Game Industry of Poland” published by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development in September 2020, more than 440 companies manufacture games in Poland. They employ 9.7 thousand people. As much as 96%. Selling native games is an export! Every year, on average, 480 new Polish productions are delivered to players.
Although Polish game titles have been triumphant for a long time, the last two years have been a real “golden age” for producers and investing in casino games or (العاب الكازينو). It was certainly influenced by the coronavirus, which locked us at home and inevitably turned us towards electronic entertainment. During the first lockdown, there was a significant increase in interest in computer games, but also in streaming services and Twitch.tv, which is used to broadcast video games. As indicated by the analysts of the Polish Economic Institute, in the second quarter of 2020 alone, viewers watched 7.5 billion hours of online game broadcasts.
Poland Position on the Gaming Industry Map
Poland is one of the most important gaming markets in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa).
According to research from the report “The game industry of Poland”, prepared by PARP, over 16 million people play in Poland.
The analysis also shows that the value of the domestic gaming market is almost USD 600 million. Which places Poland in the third ten in the world ranking. This report was made at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic; hence the numbers have increased even further.
This is indirectly indicated, for example, by the presence of new Polish gaming companies that entered the Polish stock exchange. Currently, about 70 companies are listed there, which makes this sector an increasingly important part of the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
16 Million Players in Poland
The above numbers are the best proof of how resilient this area of the economy has become. What are we playing? According to the data from the list, “What do they play, how do they play and what do Polish players expect?” Prepared by the Try Evidence analytical agency, RPG games enjoyed by over 80% of respondents enjoy unflagging popularity. Sports games and survival horrors are the least liked. The most associated titles are, in turn, Call of Duty, Just Cause, Stronghold, Uncharted, The Last of Us and The Witcher.
Already 60% of the Value of Computer Sales in Poland Is Gaming
In the list above, an important element of the game is often indicated that the plot of a given production is well handled and its graphic design. In the latter case, the bar is also high for manufacturers of gaming computers, who have to prepare such equipment to meet the most demanding productions.
Although the overall market of desktops and laptops in Poland fell last year by 10% in terms of quantity and 1% in terms of value, the same data from GfK indicate a continuous increase in sales of equipment for players.
Desktops have the best results. In 2019, they accounted for less than 30% of models sold. A year later, about 35%, and in 2021, 40% of all computers are those designed for gamers. What’s more, their value is as much as 60% of all equipment sold in the previous year!
eSport Is the Dominant Trend
If we are looking for further examples of the significant growth of the gaming industry in 2020, the best of them is the fact that, according to estimates by International Data Corporation, the revenues of producers in this sector increased by 20% in this year.
Currently, the total value of the gaming industry is PLN 179.7 billion. dollars, making it larger than the movie and sports industries combined.
The development of gaming in recent months is not only due to the increased number of amateurs playing on consoles to pass the time. The closure of the stadiums and the forced break that took place in most traditional sports games gave scope for eSports players, which is a form of gaming.
Electronic games, so far treated with a pinch of salt by many people, during the lockdown for fans have become an excellent substitute for traditional sport. This is evidenced by, for example, the increased interest in betting on the results of eSports matches in bookmakers.
The coronavirus also thwarted the plans of eSports event organizers – many of them, such as Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice 2020, had to take place without the participation of the public. Over a million viewers (excluding China) watched the CS: GO games broadcast online. Compared to the corresponding tournament organized in 2019 in Cologne, Katowice’s IEM 2020 enjoyed 46 percent higher viewership.
Investments in Gaming – Who Will Grab Gaming in Poland?
The last few months have been especially favorable for inStreamly. It is a technology that allows you to automatically manage and place content on hundreds of live-stream channels. What is it for? Thanks to this solution, brands can sign short-term sponsorship contracts directly with the creators. In July this year, inStreamly obtained PLN 1 million of financing from the SMOK VC fund for further development.
Funding was also obtained by the start-up Skinwallet, which owns platforms for trading digital goods in games. This solution has so far collected PLN 3.4 million in financing, and invested in it, among others, Tar Heel Capital fund.
– “We received funding from our investor for the development of the project and, above all, operational and organizational support that is difficult to overestimate, incl. business mentoring, access to the network of Pathfinder founders (including foreign advisers) and administrative, legal and accounting services at an early stage of development, as well as assistance in obtaining capital for further development” – said Dawid Chomicz, co-founder of Skinwallet in an interview with mamstartup.pl.
The newly established ffVC Tech & Gaming fund, which has funds of PLN 100 million, will also invest in startups in the following industries:
· Games
· Artificial Intelligence
· Cybersecurity
· Drones
· Robotics
· Enterprise software
· RegTech
· FinTech
The main area of interest of ffVC Tech & gaming business in Poland are start-ups and companies with international potential that are in the phase of rapid expansion. As part of the first investment, one company may receive financing in the amount of PLN 1 to 8 million. If the investment is continued, the company can count on even PLN 15 million. The fund was established on the initiative of Totalizator Sportowy and ffVC’s managing partners with the support of PFR Ventures and the National Center for Research and Development.
Categories: News
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
