In 2025 the European video‑game market generated a total of €30 billion in revenue, with digital transactions representing a dominant 91 percent of that figure, according to the latest data released by Video Games Europe (VGE). This robust performance underscores the continued shift toward online purchases, downloadable content, and subscription‑based services across the continent. A notable development this year is the broadening of VGE’s flagship analysis, the All About Games report.
Previously confined to the five largest European gaming economies – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the study now incorporates data from an additional eleven countries: 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 the industry’s health, trends, and employment patterns across the whole European region. The research was commissioned by VGE and carried out by market‑research firm Ipsos, which aggregated information from several industry sources, including GameTrack, the Global Software Development (GSD) database, and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The survey captured responses from 39,371 participants, ranging from casual players to industry professionals, offering a rich data set for analysis. When the numbers are broken down, the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as the EU5) saw a modest contraction of 4 percent year‑on‑year, falling from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Germany remained the top‑earning nation within this group, delivering €6.5 billion in sales, followed closely by the United Kingdom and France. The decline in the EU5 was offset by growth in several of the newly added markets, where increasing smartphone penetration and rising disposable income have spurred higher spending on games.
Employment figures paint an equally encouraging picture. In 2025, the sector supported roughly 123,000 workers spread across about 8,700 development studios in the EU and the UK. Women accounted for 24 percent of the total workforce, a gradual improvement over previous years and an indicator of slowly diversifying talent pipelines.
The United Kingdom employed the largest number of individuals—approximately 28,520—while Poland and Germany followed with 14,930 and 12,410 employees respectively. These numbers reflect not only traditional development roles but also a surge in ancillary positions such as quality assurance, community management, and live‑operations support. Platform usage trends continued to favour mobile devices.
A striking 82 percent of gamers reported playing on smartphones or tablets, making these platforms the most popular way to access games. Consoles were the second‑most common hardware, with 47 percent of respondents indicating regular use, and personal computers accounted for 34 percent. In monetary terms, mobile and tablet gaming contributed nearly half of the total industry revenue, highlighting the importance of touch‑based experiences and the effectiveness of in‑app purchase models.
When it comes to top‑grossing titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts. EA’s sports franchise dominated the charts, with EA Sports FC26 and its predecessor FC25 occupying the first two positions, while the long‑awaited Battlefield 6 secured the third spot.
On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also claimed the number‑one ranking, trailed by Rockstar Games’ evergreen classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to generate substantial sales through updates, micro‑transactions, and online multiplayer services. Mobile gaming saw a different set of leaders.
The casual‑strategy game Coin Master topped the list, followed by Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga. These titles benefit from a combination of low entry barriers, frequent content updates, and highly effective monetisation strategies that keep players engaged over long periods. Overall player reach expanded to 199 million individuals across Europe in 2025.
Women represented a sizable 46 percent of that audience, amounting to roughly 91.5 million female gamers. The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest market in terms of player count, with 25 million people actively playing games. Average weekly playtime showed a slight dip, falling to 8.39 hours per player compared with 9.4 hours in 2024.
Age‑group analysis revealed that younger gamers still devote considerable time to gaming: children aged 6‑11 logged an average of 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 averaged 14.30 hours. These figures suggest that while overall engagement may be tapering slightly, younger demographics remain highly active. Parental involvement in gaming habits remains strong. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to participate in setting limits on their children’s gaming activities.
Moreover, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as screen‑time controls, purchase restrictions, or content filters—to monitor or curb gameplay. A further 74 percent indicated that they have established agreements, actively supervise, or employ family‑setting features to manage online interactions and ensure safe digital environments. In the EU5 markets specifically, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases. Among the minority who did, a substantial 93 percent confirmed that they closely monitored those transactions, reflecting heightened awareness of micro‑transaction spending.
Notably, the average amount spent by children who are permitted to buy in‑game content dropped by 13 percent compared with the previous year, suggesting that parental oversight and possibly increased price sensitivity are influencing spending behaviours. Taken together, these data points illustrate a vibrant and evolving European gaming ecosystem. While revenue growth in the traditional core markets has plateaued, the expansion into additional countries, the rise of mobile platforms, and the continued diversification of the workforce all point to a sector that is adapting to new consumer habits and technological advances.
As the industry moves forward, stakeholders will likely focus on sustaining inclusive growth, enhancing player safety, and capitalising on emerging opportunities such as cloud gaming, augmented reality experiences, and the expanding esports landscape.