In 2025 the European video‑game sector amassed a total turnover of €30 billion, with digital sales making up 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 purchases, downloadable content and subscription‑based models that have reshaped the continent’s entertainment landscape over the past decade.
A notable development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship publication, the All About Games report. Previously limited to the five largest economies – 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 its geographic scope, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of gaming activity across the European Union and the United Kingdom, reflecting the growing importance of smaller markets that together contribute a sizeable share of users, revenue and development talent. The expanded analysis was produced in partnership with market‑research firm Ipsos, which aggregated information from several industry 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 statistical foundation for the findings presented. When the numbers for the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as the EU5) are examined in isolation, 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 nation within this group, generating €6.5 billion, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. The modest decline is attributed to a combination of market saturation, tighter regulatory scrutiny on loot‑box mechanics, and a temporary slowdown in console hardware cycles. Employment figures paint a more optimistic picture. Across the EU and the UK, the gaming ecosystem supported 123,000 workers in 2025, spread across roughly 8,700 development studios, publishing houses and ancillary service providers.
Women accounted for 24 percent of this workforce, a modest yet encouraging increase compared to previous years, reflecting ongoing diversity initiatives within the sector. The United Kingdom led in sheer headcount, employing 28,520 individuals, while Poland and Germany followed with 14,930 and 12,410 employees respectively.
These numbers highlight the role of Eastern European hubs in supplying talent for both AAA productions and the burgeoning indie scene. Platform preferences continued to evolve.
Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage statistics, with 82 percent of gamers reporting they primarily played on these devices. Consoles were the second‑most popular platform at 47 percent, and personal computers accounted for 34 percent of playtime. In revenue terms, mobile and tablet gaming contributed almost half of the total €30 billion, underscoring the profitability of micro‑transactions, ad‑supported titles and the ever‑expanding casual‑gaming audience. When it comes to the most successful titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts.
EA’s sports franchise, EA Sports FC26, claimed the top spot, with its predecessor FC25 holding the second position, and the long‑running first‑person shooter Battlefield 6 rounding out the top three. On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also reigned supreme, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ enduring classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, both of which continue to generate substantial revenue through updates and online services. Mobile gaming charts were topped by the casual phenomenon Coin Master, which secured the number‑one ranking, while Royal Match and the evergreen Candy Crush Saga occupied the second and third places respectively.
These results illustrate the sustained appeal of simple, highly replayable games that leverage social features and frequent content updates to keep players engaged. Player demographics revealed that 199 million Europeans engaged in gaming activities during 2025. Women represented a significant portion of this audience, accounting for 46 percent (approximately 91.5 million female gamers).
The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, with 25 million active players, followed by Germany and France. Average weekly playtime across the continent measured 8.39 hours per person, a slight decline from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024. Age‑specific data showed that children aged 6‑11 spent an average of 11.35 hours per week gaming, while teenagers aged 12‑17 logged 14.30 hours, indicating that younger cohorts remain the most avid participants. Parental involvement in gaming habits was also highlighted.
Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to be actively involved 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, purchase restrictions or content filters—to monitor or curb play. Seventy‑four percent indicated that they have established agreements, oversee, or employ family‑setting features to manage online interactions, reflecting a growing awareness of digital safety concerns. In the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases.
Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent reported that they closely supervised those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting that parental oversight and possibly tighter spending caps are having a measurable impact.
Overall, the 2025 data paints a picture of a mature, diversified European gaming industry that continues to grow in revenue, expands its geographic footprint, and grapples with evolving consumer habits and regulatory expectations. While revenue growth in the traditional EU5 markets showed a modest dip, the broader inclusion of additional countries, the rise of mobile platforms, and the sustained popularity of both blockbuster and casual titles point to a resilient sector poised for further innovation and expansion in the years ahead.