In 2025 the European video‑game sector recorded a total turnover of €30 billion, with digital sales representing a dominant 91 percent of that figure, according to the latest data released by Video Games Europe (VGE). This milestone underscores the continued shift toward online and downloadable content across the continent, as physical copies become an increasingly marginal slice of the market.
One of the most notable developments in VGE’s 2025 release is the enlargement of its flagship "All About Games" report. Previously confined to the five largest European markets—commonly referred to as the EU5 (the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy)—the study now incorporates data from an additional eleven nations: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. By widening the geographic scope, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of gaming activity, spending habits and employment trends throughout the broader European region. The data collection effort was carried out by the market‑research firm Ipsos, which pulled figures from several reputable sources, including GameTrack, the German Software Distribution (GSD) database and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The combined survey reached 39,371 respondents, offering a robust sample size for statistical analysis. When the numbers are broken down by the original EU5, revenue fell by 4 percent compared with the previous year, slipping from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Germany remained the biggest earner among the five, generating €6.5 billion, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. The modest decline suggests a market that is still maturing, with growth now being driven more by diversification of platforms and deeper penetration into smaller economies rather than sheer expansion of the core markets.
Employment figures paint an encouraging portrait of the sector’s health. Across the United Kingdom and the European Union, a total of 123,000 individuals were employed by 8,700 game‑development studios in 2025.
Women accounted for roughly one‑quarter of the workforce (24 percent), indicating gradual progress toward gender balance in an industry historically dominated by men. The United Kingdom employed the largest number of professionals—28,520—while Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410) followed as the next biggest employers. Platform usage trends continued to evolve.
Mobile phones and tablets dominated player activity, with 82 percent of gamers reporting that they primarily used these devices. Consoles were the second most popular platform at 47 percent, and personal computers accounted for 34 percent of usage. Notably, mobile and tablet devices also delivered almost half of the total industry revenue, reinforcing the importance of touch‑based gaming experiences and the lucrative nature of in‑app purchases.
In the console arena, Electronic Arts retained its leading position in 2025. The company’s flagship sports titles, EA Sports FC26 and FC25, occupied the top two slots on the console sales charts, with the tactical shooter Battlefield 6 taking the third place. Battlefield 6 also claimed the number‑one spot on the PC platform, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ long‑standing hits Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to generate strong sales years after their initial releases.
Mobile gaming leaders were similarly clear‑cut. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master topped the list, with Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga rounding out the three most‑downloaded games on smartphones and tablets.
These titles illustrate the sustained appetite for quick‑play, socially connected experiences that can be enjoyed in short bursts throughout the day. Player demographics showed that 199 million Europeans engaged in video‑games during 2025, with women representing 46 percent of that audience (approximately 91.5 million female gamers). The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, boasting 25 million active players. Average weekly playtime across the continent was 8.39 hours per person, a slight dip from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024.
Younger gamers, however, still spent considerable time on screens: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 logged an average of 14.30 hours. Parental involvement in gaming remained high. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to be actively involved in setting limits on their children’s gaming habits.
Correspondingly, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as time‑limits, content filters or purchase restrictions—to monitor or curb gameplay. Additionally, 74 percent said they have established agreements, conduct regular monitoring, or employ built‑in family controls to manage online interactions and protect their children from inappropriate content. Within the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents indicated that their children did not make in‑game purchases at all.
Among the minority who did buy digital items, a striking 93 percent said they supervised those transactions, demonstrating a high level of parental vigilance. Moreover, average spending among children who were permitted to purchase in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting either more cautious spending habits or the impact of stricter parental controls.
Overall, the 2025 data set reveals a European gaming ecosystem that is both expansive and increasingly sophisticated. While revenue growth in the core markets has plateaued, the sector compensates through broader geographic coverage, heightened mobile engagement, and a steady rise in employment opportunities. The continued emphasis on parental involvement and responsible spending points to a maturing industry that is attentive to both commercial success and the wellbeing of its younger audience.