In 2025 the European video‑game market generated 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 continued shift toward online purchases, downloadable content and in‑app transactions across the continent’s diverse gaming ecosystem.
A notable development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship research publication, the All About Games report. Previously confined to five major economies – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the study 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 reach to sixteen markets, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of consumer behaviour, industry employment and revenue trends throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. The expanded analysis was commissioned to market‑research firm Ipsos, which aggregated information from several reputable sources, including GameTrack, the German Software Distribution (GSD) database, and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
In total, the survey captured responses from 39,371 participants, offering a robust statistical foundation for the findings. When the results are broken down by region, the original EU5 bloc experienced a modest contraction, with total revenue falling 4 percent year‑on‑year to €25.7 billion, down from €26.8 billion in 2024. Germany remained the powerhouse of the group, delivering €6.5 billion in sales and retaining its position as the largest single‑country market in the region.
Employment figures paint an equally encouraging picture. Across the EU and the UK, the gaming sector employed roughly 123,000 individuals in 2025, spread across 8,700 development studios, publishing houses and ancillary service providers. Women accounted for 24 percent of the workforce, a modest but meaningful increase that reflects ongoing diversity initiatives within the industry. The United Kingdom led the continent in terms of headcount, with 28,520 gaming‑related jobs, followed by Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410).
These numbers illustrate the sector’s role as a significant employer in both established and emerging markets, and they highlight the importance of policy frameworks that support talent development and retention. Platform preferences among European gamers continued to evolve. Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they primarily play on these devices.
Console play was reported by 47 percent of gamers, while 34 percent favoured PC. Notably, mobile and tablet platforms also generated almost half of the total €30 billion revenue, confirming the profitability of the handheld market. In the console arena, Electronic Arts (EA) emerged as the leading publisher in 2025. EA Sports’ titles FC26 and FC25 occupied the top two slots on the console charts, with the long‑running Battlefield 6 series securing the third position.
On the PC side, Battlefield 6 again claimed the number‑one spot, followed by Rockstar Games’ evergreen classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to attract strong sales years after their initial releases. Mobile gaming leaders were also clearly identified. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master topped the list, with Royal Match and the iconic match‑three game Candy Crush Saga rounding out the top three. These results reflect the enduring popularity of free‑to‑play titles that rely on micro‑transactions and frequent content updates.
Overall player penetration reached 199 million individuals across Europe, with women representing 46 percent (approximately 91.5 million) of the total gamer population. The United Kingdom stood out as the single largest market, boasting 25 million active players.
Average weekly playtime showed a slight decline, falling to 8.39 hours per player compared with 9.4 hours in 2024. Age‑specific data revealed that younger gamers (6‑11 years) logged an average of 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers (12‑17 years) spent about 14.30 hours weekly on games.
These figures suggest that while overall engagement may be tapering, younger cohorts remain highly active. Parental involvement in gaming habits also featured prominently in the survey. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to participate in setting limits on their children’s video‑game usage.
Correspondingly, 79 percent reported using at least one family‑setting tool—such as time‑limits, content filters or purchase restrictions—to monitor or curb gameplay. Additionally, 74 percent indicated that they have established agreements, conduct regular monitoring, or employ family‑setting features to manage online interactions and social features within games.
When focusing on the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases at all. Among the minority who did buy digital content, a striking 93 percent confirmed that they closely supervised those transactions. Moreover, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to purchase in‑game items dropped by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting a combination of tighter parental controls and perhaps a shift toward more cost‑effective monetisation models. These insights collectively illustrate a mature, digitally‑centric gaming landscape in Europe, characterised by robust revenues, expanding geographic coverage, steady employment growth, and an increasingly nuanced understanding of player demographics and parental oversight.
The data also highlight opportunities for developers and publishers to tailor experiences across platforms, deepen engagement with female gamers, and continue innovating within the mobile and console ecosystems while respecting the evolving expectations of families and regulators.