In 2025 the European video‑game industry amassed a total turnover of €30 billion, 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 continued shift toward online purchases, downloadable content, and in‑app transactions across the continent’s diverse gaming landscape. One of the most notable developments in VGE’s annual "All About Games" report is the broadening of its geographic coverage. While previous editions focused on the five largest markets—namely the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy—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 the scope to sixteen nations, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of the European market, capture emerging trends in smaller economies, and give stakeholders a clearer view of cross‑border dynamics. To compile the figures, VGE commissioned the research firm Ipsos, which drew on a combination of proprietary sources, including GameTrack, the German Software Distribution (GSD) database, and the freshly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The resulting survey captured responses from 39,371 participants, ranging from casual players to industry professionals, delivering a robust dataset for analysis.
When the numbers are broken down by region, the original "EU5" cluster saw a modest contraction in revenue, slipping 4 percent year‑on‑year to €25.7 billion, down from €26.8 billion in 2024. Germany remained the top‑earning country within this group, generating €6.5 billion in sales, followed by France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. The dip in revenue is attributed partly to market saturation in mature economies and a temporary slowdown in console hardware cycles, but the overall health of the sector remains strong thanks to the explosive growth of mobile and digital distribution channels.
Employment figures paint an equally encouraging picture. In 2025, the industry supported roughly 123,000 workers spread across 8,700 development studios throughout the EU and the UK. Women accounted for 24 percent of the total workforce, reflecting gradual progress toward gender balance in a field historically dominated by men.
The United Kingdom employed the largest number of individuals—28,520—while Poland and Germany followed with 14,930 and 12,410 employees respectively. These numbers highlight the importance of gaming as a source of high‑skill jobs and its contribution to the broader digital economy. Platform usage data reveals that mobile phones and tablets continue to dominate the European gaming scene.
An impressive 82 percent of gamers reported using handheld devices as their primary platform, a figure that eclipses console usage (47 percent) and PC gaming (34 percent). Mobile and tablet devices also generated nearly half of the total €30 billion revenue, confirming the profitability of the freemium and micro‑transaction models that thrive on these platforms.
In the console arena, Electronic Arts retained its leadership position throughout 2025. EA Sports FC 26 and its predecessor FC 25 occupied the top two slots on the console charts, with the tactical shooter Battlefield 6 rounding out the trio of best‑selling titles. On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also claimed the number‑one spot, while Rockstar Games’ long‑standing classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V secured the second and third positions, respectively, demonstrating the staying power of established franchises.
Mobile gaming leaders were equally clear. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master topped the list, followed closely by Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga.
These games illustrate the broad appeal of quick‑play sessions, social integration, and ongoing content updates that keep players engaged over long periods. Player demographics show that 199 million Europeans engaged in video‑games during 2025, with women representing 46 percent of that audience (approximately 91.5 million female gamers). The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, boasting 25 million active players.
Average weekly playtime across the continent fell slightly to 8.39 hours, down from 9.4 hours in the previous year. Younger cohorts, however, still logged substantial hours: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 averaged 14.30 hours. Parental involvement remains a significant factor in shaping gaming habits. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a preference for being actively involved 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 or content filters—to monitor or restrict gameplay, and 74 percent indicated that they have established agreements, monitoring practices, or family‑setting configurations to manage online interactions. In the five‑country core market, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases.
Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents 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 either tighter parental oversight or a shift toward more cost‑conscious spending patterns among younger gamers. Overall, the 2025 data underscores a vibrant and evolving European gaming ecosystem. While traditional console revenues face modest pressure, the surge in mobile and digital sales, combined with steady employment growth and increasing gender diversity, points to a sector that is both resilient and adaptable.
The expanded geographic coverage of VGE’s report provides stakeholders with richer insights, enabling better strategic decisions as the industry continues to innovate and expand across the continent.