UK Gaming Revenue Sees 7.4% Increase to £5.4 Billion in 2025

In 2025, UK gamers spent a total of £5.4 billion on video games, as reported by the Entertainment Retailers Association, citing data from NielsenIQ/GfK Entertainment, Omdia, and GSD/IFSE. This represents a 7.4% year-over-year increase, marking the largest rise in the UK gaming industry since 2020, when revenue surged by 27.9% from the previous year. The primary driver of this growth was an 8.8% increase in mobile game revenue, which generated £1.88 billion and accounted for 35.5% of the total gaming revenue for the year. Console game downloads also saw significant growth, with an 11.5% increase in revenue to $857.6 million, although physical sales declined by 1% to £318.8 million. Notably, digital sales dominated the market, with £5 billion in revenue, representing an 8% year-over-year increase. The top-selling game of the year was EA Sports FC 26, with over 1.97 million units sold across both physical and digital formats. The ERA highlighted that the gaming industry remains one of the last entertainment mediums where ownership is still valued, with 45% of game revenue coming from consumers purchasing games rather than subscribing, in contrast to the music and video industries. Between 2016 and 2025, the UK's GDP grew by 12%, while gaming revenue increased by 86%, outpacing GDP growth by 7.2 times. According to ERA CEO Kim Bayley, 'After a slowdown in growth following the exceptional 27.9% gains in 2020, the gaming market has bounced back strongly in 2025, driven by continued innovation.' The overall UK entertainment market, encompassing games, music, and video, reached £13.3 billion in 2025, representing a 7.1% year-over-year increase.