In 2025 the European video‑game market produced a total of €30 billion in revenue, 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 continuing shift toward online and downloadable content across the continent, as physical copies become increasingly marginal.
A noteworthy development this year is the broadening of VGE’s flagship research publication, the All About Games report. Previously the analysis was limited to the five largest European gaming economies – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – collectively known as the EU5.
The 2025 edition now incorporates data from an additional eleven countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. By extending its geographic scope, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of the industry’s health and trends throughout the wider European region. To compile the expanded dataset, VGE commissioned the market research firm Ipsos, which pulled figures from several established sources, including GameTrack, the Global Software Distribution (GSD) platform, and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The survey that underpins the findings gathered responses from 39,371 participants, offering a robust statistical foundation for the conclusions drawn.
When the numbers for the original EU5 markets are examined in isolation, revenue shows a modest contraction. Total sales in these five economies fell 4 percent year‑on‑year, slipping from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Germany remained the powerhouse of the region, delivering the highest individual turnover at €6.5 billion, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain.
Employment data paints an encouraging portrait of job creation within the sector. Across the European Union and the United Kingdom, 123,000 individuals were employed by 8,700 development studios in 2025. Women accounted for roughly one‑quarter of the workforce, representing 24 percent of all employees.
The United Kingdom led in sheer headcount, with 28,520 staff members, while Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410) rounded out the top three hiring nations. Platform preferences among European gamers continued to evolve. Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage statistics, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they primarily played on these devices. Console gaming held a solid secondary position at 47 percent, and personal computers accounted for 34 percent of playtime.
Notably, mobile and tablet platforms also generated almost half of the total industry revenue, highlighting the lucrative nature of the handheld market. In the console arena, Electronic Arts retained its leadership status throughout 2025. The company’s flagship sports titles, EA Sports FC26 and its predecessor FC25, occupied the two highest slots on the console sales chart, while the long‑awaited Battlefield 6 secured the third position. The PC segment mirrored this trend, with Battlefield 6 also topping the leaderboard, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ evergreen hits Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to attract sizable audiences years after their initial releases.
Mobile gaming saw a different set of leaders. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master claimed the number‑one spot, with Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga rounding out the top three.
These results illustrate the sustained appeal of free‑to‑play models that blend simple mechanics with in‑app purchase options. Overall participation figures reveal that 199 million Europeans engaged in video‑game play during 2025. Women comprised 46 percent of this audience, translating to 91.5 million female gamers.
The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, boasting 25 million active players. When it comes to time spent gaming, the average European logged 8.39 hours per week, a slight decline from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024.
Age‑specific patterns were more pronounced: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours weekly, whereas teenagers aged 12‑17 spent an average of 14.30 hours per week immersed in games. Parental involvement in gaming habits remains high. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to take an active role in setting limits on their children’s video‑game usage.
Moreover, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as screen‑time controls or purchase restrictions—to monitor or curb gameplay, while 74 percent indicated they have established agreements, actively supervise, or employ built‑in family settings to manage online interactions. Within the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases. Of the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents claimed they kept a close watch on those transactions. Interestingly, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with the previous year, suggesting either tighter parental oversight or a shift in spending behavior among younger gamers.
These findings collectively demonstrate a maturing European gaming ecosystem: robust revenues driven by digital sales, expanding geographic coverage, steady employment growth, and a nuanced balance between consumer enthusiasm and parental stewardship. As the industry moves forward, stakeholders will likely continue to monitor how platform preferences, spending habits, and regulatory environments evolve across the diverse tapestry of European markets.