In 2025 the European video‑game sector amassed a total of €30 billion in revenue, with digital sales representing a dominant 91 percent of that figure, according to the latest figures released by Video Games Europe (VGE). This milestone underscores the continued shift toward online purchases, downloadable content and in‑app transactions that have reshaped the continent’s entertainment economy over the past decade.
A major development accompanying the financial data is the broadened scope of VGE’s flagship research publication, the All About Games report. Previously confined to the five largest European markets – 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 extending its coverage to 16 countries, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of gaming trends across the European Union and the United Kingdom, reflecting the growing importance of smaller but rapidly expanding markets. To compile the new dataset, VGE commissioned market‑research firm Ipsos, which drew on several industry sources, including GameTrack, the Game Software Developers (GSD) association, and the recently published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The combined survey reached 39,371 respondents, offering a robust statistical foundation for the analysis of consumer behaviour, spending habits and demographic breakdowns. When the numbers are broken down by region, the traditional “EU5” core – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – experienced 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 country within this group, generating €6.5 billion, followed closely by the United Kingdom and France.
The dip in revenue can be attributed to a combination of macro‑economic pressures, such as inflation and reduced discretionary spending, as well as a slight slowdown in the release cadence of blockbuster titles. Employment figures paint a hopeful picture despite the revenue dip.
In 2025, the gaming ecosystem across the EU and the UK supported 123,000 workers distributed among roughly 8,700 development studios, ranging from indie outfits to large multinational publishers. Women accounted for 24 percent of the total workforce, a figure that, while still reflecting a gender gap, marks a gradual improvement over previous years as industry initiatives promote diversity and inclusion.
The United Kingdom emerged as the biggest employer, with 28,520 individuals working in game‑related roles, followed by Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410). These numbers highlight the importance of Eastern European talent pools, which have become increasingly attractive due to competitive costs, strong technical education systems, and supportive government policies. Platform preferences among European gamers continued to evolve.
Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they primarily played on these devices. Consoles held a respectable 47 percent share, while PC gaming accounted for 34 percent. Notably, mobile and tablet platforms also generated almost half of the total industry revenue, confirming the lucrative nature of the mobile market and the effectiveness of freemium and micro‑transaction models. On the console side, Electronic Arts retained its leading position in 2025.
EA Sports FC26 and its predecessor FC25 occupied the top two slots on the console charts, with the tactical shooter Battlefield 6 rounding out the trio of best‑selling titles. Battlefield 6 also claimed the number‑one spot on PC, where it was trailed by Rockstar Games’ enduring classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, both of which continue to generate strong sales years after their initial launch through regular updates and online content.
Mobile gaming leaders were equally clear. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master topped the list, followed by the puzzle‑match game Royal Match and the evergreen Candy Crush Saga.
These titles illustrate the power of simple, highly accessible games that can attract a broad audience and monetize through in‑app purchases and ad‑supported play. Overall participation in gaming remained high, with 199 million Europeans reporting that they played video games at least occasionally during the year.
Women represented 46 percent of this audience, amounting to 91.5 million female gamers, a testament to the increasingly gender‑balanced nature of the hobby. The United Kingdom again stood out as the largest single market, boasting 25 million players. Average weekly playtime saw a slight decline, dropping to 8.39 hours per person from 9.4 hours in 2024. Younger age groups, however, still logged substantial hours: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 averaged 14.30 hours.
These figures suggest that while adult engagement may be tapering slightly, younger gamers remain highly active. Parental involvement in gaming habits also featured prominently in the report. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to be part of the decision‑making process regarding video‑game limits for their children. Correspondingly, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as time‑limits, content filters or purchase restrictions—to supervise or curb gameplay, and 74 percent indicated they have explicit agreements or monitoring practices in place for online interactions.
In the EU5 markets specifically, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases. Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents claimed they actively monitored those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, reflecting either tighter parental control or a shift toward less expensive micro‑transaction models. Taken together, these data points illustrate a European gaming landscape that is both financially robust and demographically diverse.
While revenue growth may be modest in the traditional powerhouses, the expansion into new markets, the sustained dominance of mobile platforms, and the steady increase in workforce participation signal a healthy, adaptable industry poised for continued evolution in the years ahead.