In 2024 the European video‑game industry posted a combined turnover of roughly €24 billion, a figure that underscores the sector’s continuing economic importance across the continent. The market is now supported by more than 6,600 development studios, which together employ upwards of 95,000 individuals in roles ranging from programming and design to marketing and publishing. These statistics come from the European Video Game Industry Insights Report, a collaborative publication produced by the European Games Development Association (EGDF) together with Video Games Europe (VGA). Because the report relies on data that must be collected, verified, and aggregated from each member nation, it reflects the most recent complete year—2024—rather than the current calendar year.
The process begins with each of the 28 EGDF member organisations preparing a national‑level snapshot of activity, after which the EGDF consolidates the individual submissions into a single European overview. One of the most striking observations in the 2024 edition is the divergence between two key indicators of sector health. While the overall talent base—measured by the number of people employed in game‑related occupations—has essentially stalled, the number of active studios continued to climb.
Between five and ten percent more studios were operating in 2024 than in the previous year, indicating that new companies are still being founded even as the pool of available skilled workers shows limited expansion. The report highlights several national markets that illustrate this mixed picture. Finland, Italy, and the Czech Republic each recorded modest but steady increases in their employment numbers, suggesting that local ecosystems are still attracting or retaining talent. Poland stands out as the EU’s largest single employer in the sector, both in terms of development and publishing staff, and it also led the continent in the number of new titles released, with 450 games launched over the year.
The United Kingdom, another major hub, reported a workforce of 28,516 people, reinforcing its position as a key centre for both creative and technical expertise. A notable development in the 2024 report is the inclusion of two countries that have never before been featured: Bulgaria and Cyprus. Cyprus, despite its relatively small size, generated €4.3 billion in turnover, earning the description of the "main game industry hub in terms of combined revenue" within the report.
Bulgaria, meanwhile, was recognised as an "important regional hub surrounded by key European game industry talent"—a nod to its strategic location near Romania and Türkiye, which together create a vibrant talent corridor in southeastern Europe. The EGDF’s commentary on the findings stresses that, despite a backdrop of economic uncertainty and a number of high‑profile layoffs and consolidations, the European gaming landscape is still expanding in several respects.
Revenue growth and the rise in studio numbers have helped lift the overall European metrics, even as some individual markets experienced a slight dip in employment levels. This is the first time the sector has recorded a measurable decrease in jobs, signalling that the industry is entering a more mature phase where growth is no longer purely driven by headcount.
Industry analysts interpret these trends as a sign that the European gaming sector is maturing. The plateau in talent growth suggests that the supply of skilled professionals is beginning to meet demand, prompting companies to focus more on efficiency, specialization, and strategic partnerships rather than simply hiring more staff.
At the same time, the increase in studio count points to a diversification of business models—more boutique developers, service‑oriented studios, and niche publishers are entering the market, often leveraging remote work and cross‑border collaboration to overcome local talent constraints. Looking ahead, the report advises policymakers and industry bodies to address the emerging talent bottleneck by investing in education, apprenticeship programmes, and up‑skilling initiatives. Strengthening the pipeline of developers, artists, and technical specialists will be crucial if Europe hopes to sustain its revenue momentum while also maintaining a healthy employment level across all regions. In summary, the 2024 European Video Game Industry Insights Report paints a picture of a sector that is financially robust and increasingly diverse in terms of studio composition, yet facing the early signs of a talent saturation point.
The combined turnover of €24 billion, the rise to over 6,600 studios, and the employment of more than 95,000 workers together illustrate both the achievements and the challenges that lie ahead for Europe’s vibrant gaming ecosystem.