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 and downloadable content across the continent, as physical copies become an increasingly marginal share of the market. A major development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship research publication, the All About Games report.
Previously confined to the five largest European gaming economies—namely the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy—the study now incorporates data from an additional eleven territories: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. By widening its geographic scope, VGE aims to provide a more nuanced picture of consumer habits, revenue streams and employment trends throughout the whole European region. To compile the new dataset, VGE commissioned the market‑research firm Ipsos, which drew on information from GameTrack, the German Software Distribution (GSD) association and the freshly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The combined survey reached a total of 39,371 respondents, offering a statistically robust foundation for the analysis.
When the numbers for the original five‑country core (the EU5) are examined in isolation, total revenue fell by 4 percent year‑on‑year, slipping from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Germany remained the top‑earning market within this group, generating €6.5 billion, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain.
The modest decline can be attributed to a slight slowdown in console sales and a modest dip in discretionary spending among mature gamers, even as mobile and tablet platforms continued to expand. Employment data paints an optimistic picture despite the revenue dip. Across the European Union and the United Kingdom, the industry employed roughly 123,000 individuals in 2025, spread across about 8,700 development studios, publishing houses and ancillary service providers.
Women accounted for 24 percent of the workforce, reflecting gradual progress toward gender diversity in a sector historically dominated by men. The United Kingdom led the region in headcount, with 28,520 employees, while Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410) rounded out the top three.
Platform usage statistics reveal that mobile phones and tablets remain the primary entry point for European gamers, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they play on these devices. Console usage sits at 47 percent and PC at 34 percent, illustrating a diversified ecosystem where each platform retains a loyal audience. Notably, mobile and tablet gaming contributed nearly half of the total €30 billion revenue, confirming the monetisation power of in‑app purchases, ad‑supported models and subscription services on handheld devices. In the console arena, Electronic Arts (EA) retained its leadership position throughout 2025.
The EA Sports franchise dominated the charts, with EA Sports FC26 and FC25 occupying the two highest‑selling titles, while the long‑running Battlefield series secured the third slot with the release of Battlefield 6. On the PC side, Battlefield 6 also topped the leaderboard, closely followed by Rockstar Games’ evergreen classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V, which continue to generate strong sales long after their initial launches.
Mobile gaming saw a slightly different set of leaders. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master claimed the top spot, with Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga rounding out the three most‑downloaded games for the year.
These titles benefit from a combination of low barriers to entry, frequent content updates and robust monetisation through micro‑transactions. Player demographics indicate that 199 million Europeans engaged in video‑gaming activities during 2025.
Women represented a substantial 46 percent of this audience, amounting to 91.5 million female gamers—a figure that highlights the growing appeal of games across gender lines. The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, with an estimated 25 million active players. Average weekly playtime across the continent measured 8.39 hours, a slight decline from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024. Younger players, however, still logged significant time: 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 modestly, younger cohorts remain highly active. Parental involvement in gaming continues to be a prominent feature of the European market. Seventy‑five percent of parents reported that they prefer to be directly involved in setting limits on their children’s video‑game usage.
Moreover, 79 percent make use of one or more family‑setting tools—such as time‑limits, content filters or purchase restrictions—to monitor or curb gameplay. Seventy‑four percent of parents also reported having explicit agreements with their children, actively supervising online interactions and employing family‑setting features to safeguard digital experiences.
Within the EU5, 72 percent of parents indicated that their children did not make any in‑game purchases. Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents said they kept a close eye on those transactions, ensuring that spending remained within agreed boundaries. Interestingly, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting either more cautious parental oversight or a shift toward free‑to‑play models that rely less on direct purchases. Overall, the 2025 data paints a picture of a resilient European gaming ecosystem that is increasingly digital, mobile‑centric, and inclusive.
While revenue growth has plateaued in the traditional EU5 markets, the expansion into new territories, the steady rise of mobile revenue, and the continued diversification of the player base point toward a vibrant future for the industry across the continent.