Gaming in Poland - statistics & facts
Poland has proven to be a booming hub for the gaming industry in recent years. Because of the success of certain games and events, numerous independent game developer companies have sprung up. Due to their number, in the end, many do not receive the profit or recognition they hoped for. Despite this, the industry is forecast to have a bright future in the country.
With the growing interest in delving into the world of games, more and more game rankings are also being created. The highest-rated game by users and experts in 2022 was Sludge Life. The game received a very good rating of 9.7 points out of a possible 10. Users often find out about new games from friends, family or online ads. On the other hand, the most common form of payment in 2020 for console video games was BLIK, which is popular in Poland.
Most Polish e-sports fans are aged between 20 and 29 years old, and one in five e-sports enthusiasts has a higher education background. Most e-sports fans watch gaming streams from time to time. YouTube streaming is the most popular platform for watching e-sports. Because of the dedicated character of the e-sports community, this segment has great marketing potential. The most popular e-sports games from 2018 to 2020 were: FIFA, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike.
Poland's thriving gamedev industry
In terms of major game developers, Poland has produced multiple strong contenders. The stand-out, however, is CD Projekt S.A. The company launched CD Projekt Red – a department responsible for developing original games – in 2002. Their 2007 release of The Witcher successfully allowed them to break through into the worldwide market. With the release of The Witcher 3 in 2015, their revenue increased almost sixfold. Since then, the company has released an action role-playing video game - Cyberpunk 2077. The title took nearly nine years in the making and three release date delays to be finally brought to the fans on December 10, 2020. As of March 2022, the number of followers and subscribers of Cyberpunk 2077 worldwide reached 1.6 million.The profile of a Polish gamer
The overall number of Polish gamers has seen a steady increase since 2017. The profile of the typical gamer has transformed from teenage boys to a more gender-balanced one. On personal computers, people tend to play games to de-stress and relax. For the digital purchase of games, Steam is by far the leading platform. At the same time, mobile devices have become popular for casual gaming. People use mobile games to combat boredom and choose free, light-hearted games from app stores. Unlike other consoles, virtual reality sets are still relatively unpopular – about one in every ten gamers has used them.With the growing interest in delving into the world of games, more and more game rankings are also being created. The highest-rated game by users and experts in 2022 was Sludge Life. The game received a very good rating of 9.7 points out of a possible 10. Users often find out about new games from friends, family or online ads. On the other hand, the most common form of payment in 2020 for console video games was BLIK, which is popular in Poland.
The rise of e-sports in Poland
An important segment of the gaming market is e-sports – competitive video gaming, usually in the form of organized competitions between professional players. Poland has embraced e-sports, as can be seen in the segment’s steadily growing revenue. Leading e-sports players are very dedicated and can make full-time earnings from gaming. The best example is Michal Jankowski, known as Nisha, whose profits in July 2022 amounted to almost 1.7 million U.S. dollars.Most Polish e-sports fans are aged between 20 and 29 years old, and one in five e-sports enthusiasts has a higher education background. Most e-sports fans watch gaming streams from time to time. YouTube streaming is the most popular platform for watching e-sports. Because of the dedicated character of the e-sports community, this segment has great marketing potential. The most popular e-sports games from 2018 to 2020 were: FIFA, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike.
