The European video‑game market posted a combined turnover of €24 billion in 2024, supported by more than 6,600 development studios that together employ upwards of 95,000 professionals. These figures come from the European Video Game Industry Insights Report, a joint publication of the European Games Development Association (EGDF) and Video Games Europe (VGA). The report captures the state of the industry for the calendar year 2024, reflecting the most recent data that could be gathered within the usual compilation schedule.
Data collection for the report follows a two‑stage process. First, each of the 28 EGDF member organisations prepares a national‑level overview that includes financial performance, studio counts, employment numbers and other key indicators. After the individual submissions are completed, the EGDF consolidates them into a single European snapshot, ensuring that variations in methodology are harmonised and that the final numbers are comparable across borders.
One of the most striking take‑aways from the 2024 edition is the contrast between a plateau in the growth of the continent’s talent base and a noticeable rise in the number of active studios. While the overall pool of skilled workers in game development showed little net increase – a rare stagnation for a sector that has traditionally expanded rapidly – the count of studios grew by somewhere between five and ten percent over the previous year.
This suggests that new companies are being founded, or that existing entities are splitting into specialised units, even as hiring slows in some markets. Country‑level details illustrate how the trend plays out in different parts of Europe. Finland, Italy and the Czech Republic each recorded modest gains in employment, indicating that local ecosystems continue to attract and retain developers.
Poland emerged as the clear leader in terms of headcount, employing the largest number of game‑development and publishing professionals across the EU. Polish studios also led the continent in output, releasing 450 new titles in 2024, a figure that underscores the country’s role as a production powerhouse.
The United Kingdom, another major hub, reported a workforce of 28,516 people working in the sector, placing it firmly among the top‑tier markets. The 2024 report also marked the first appearance of two smaller economies – Bulgaria and Cyprus – in the European gaming landscape.
Cyprus generated €4.3 billion in turnover, a remarkable amount for a nation of its size, and was described as the "main game industry hub in terms of combined revenue" within the region. Bulgaria, meanwhile, was recognised as an "important regional hub surrounded by key European game industry talent" with close ties to the talent pools of Romania and Türkiye. Both countries illustrate how the gaming ecosystem is diffusing beyond the traditional powerhouses of Western Europe, creating new opportunities for investment, education and cross‑border collaboration.
Commentary from the EGDF highlights the mixed nature of the year’s performance. On the one hand, the association notes that despite a challenging macro‑economic environment, several countries managed to grow both their revenue streams and the number of active studios, thereby lifting the overall European averages.
On the other hand, the report acknowledges that the sector also faced a wave of layoffs, company consolidations and a modest decline in employment in a handful of markets – the first recorded dip in workforce size for the industry as a whole. This duality reflects the volatility that can accompany rapid technological change, shifting consumer preferences and the pressures of global competition. Looking ahead, analysts suggest that the sector’s resilience will depend on how well European studios can adapt to emerging trends such as cloud gaming, the rise of the metaverse, and the increasing importance of live‑service models.
Investment in education and up‑skilling will be crucial to reverse the stagnation in the talent pool, while supportive policy measures – including tax incentives, grant programmes and infrastructure development – could help sustain the growth in studio numbers. Moreover, the inclusion of newer hubs like Bulgaria and Cyprus signals that regional diversification may become a strategic asset, allowing the continent to tap into a broader range of creative talent and cost‑effective production environments.
In summary, 2024 was a year of both continuity and change for the European games industry. Turnover reached €24 billion, more than 6,600 studios were active, and the workforce exceeded 95,000 individuals.
While the talent base showed signs of slowing, the sector’s capacity to spawn new studios and maintain robust revenue streams demonstrates a degree of structural strength. The challenges of layoffs and employment dips serve as a reminder that the industry must continue to innovate and invest in its people to sustain long‑term growth across Europe.