Digital Entertainment in France and Germany

Despite the abiding appeal of traditional linear TV, cinema, radio and offline games, many internet users in France and Germany now devote a major part of their time to online entertainment.

• Digital video viewing has grown steadily in France and Germany, but penetration still lags several other countries in Western Europe, including the UK and the Nordics.
• Usage of mobile devices to watch digital video is even lower, by regional standards. Fewer than 60% of digital video viewers in France and Germany will access that content on a smartphone or tablet in 2018.
• In both France and Germany, free sources such as YouTube, Vimeo and broadcasters’ catch-up services are the most popular destinations for video viewers. But paid-for offerings (subscription, pay-per-view, pay-per-download, etc.) such as Netflix and Amazon are gaining ground, boosted by production of local-language films and series.
• Digital gaming is drawing larger audiences, too. The proliferation of mobile devices encourages game-playing on the go—and casual games are a major crowd pleaser.
• Digital music is increasingly important to total music sales volumes in France and Germany. In France, streaming and downloads may even overtake sales of physical music items this year. In Germany, that milestone is further away.
• Podcasts have grown their audiences noticeably since 2016, but remain a minority interest. That may change as more media owners use podcasts to engage listeners and reinforce their brand, for example.