In 2025 the European video‑game market produced a total turnover of €30 billion, with digital transactions making up a striking 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 and subscription‑based models across the continent’s gaming ecosystem. A major development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship publication, the All About Games report.
Previously confined to the five largest 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 widening the geographic scope, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of gaming trends, consumer behaviour and market dynamics throughout the European Union and the United Kingdom. To compile the expanded dataset, VGE engaged the market‑research firm Ipsos, which drew on information from several established sources, including GameTrack, the German Software Distribution (GSD) platform and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The survey reached a total of 39,371 respondents, representing a cross‑section of gamers, industry professionals and households across the covered territories. When the numbers for the original “EU5” group 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 core bloc, generating €6.5 billion in sales, followed by the United Kingdom and France. Employment figures also reveal the sector’s significance as a labour market driver.
In 2025, roughly 123,000 individuals were employed across 8,700 development studios spread throughout the EU and the UK. Women accounted for about a quarter of this workforce (24 percent), reflecting a gradual but still limited improvement in gender balance within the industry. The United Kingdom led the region in terms of staff numbers, with 28,520 employees, while Poland and Germany followed with 14,930 and 12,410 workers respectively. These figures illustrate the concentration of talent hubs in both Western and Central Europe, as well as the growing importance of Eastern European studios in the global supply chain.
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 gaming held a solid secondary position at 47 percent, and PC usage accounted for 34 percent of playtime.
Notably, mobile and tablet platforms were responsible for almost half of total industry revenue, confirming the lucrative nature of the freemium and in‑app‑purchase models that dominate these ecosystems. When it comes to top‑grossing titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts, whose sports franchise EA Sports FC26 claimed the number‑one spot, with its predecessor FC25 taking second place.
Battlefield 6 rounded out the top three, demonstrating the enduring appeal of first‑person shooters on console hardware. The PC arena mirrored this trend, with Battlefield 6 again topping the charts. It was followed by Rockstar Games’ long‑standing hits Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V, both of which continue to generate substantial revenue years after their initial releases thanks to regular updates and a robust online component.
Mobile gaming leaders were equally clear. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master secured the leading position, while Royal Match and the evergreen Candy Crush Saga occupied the second and third slots respectively. These games benefit from low barriers to entry, frequent content updates and strong social‑sharing features that keep players engaged.
Overall, 199 million Europeans reported playing video games in 2025, with women representing 46 percent of that audience (approximately 91.5 million female gamers). The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest market, boasting 25 million active players. Average weekly playtime across the region was measured at 8.39 hours, 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 about 14.30 hours.
Parental involvement remains a key factor in shaping younger gamers’ experiences. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to participate in setting limits on video‑game usage for their children. Moreover, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools to monitor or restrict gameplay, and 74 percent indicated they have agreements, monitoring practices, or family‑setting configurations in place to manage online interactions.
Within the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases. Among the minority who did, a substantial 93 percent of parents claimed they actively supervised those transactions. Interestingly, the average amount spent by children who are permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting either tighter parental controls or a shift in spending habits among younger players.
These findings collectively paint a picture of a mature, digitally‑centric gaming landscape in Europe, characterized by strong mobile growth, sustained console and PC relevance, and a nuanced interplay between consumer preferences, parental oversight, and industry revenue streams. The expanded geographic coverage of the All About Games report promises even richer insights for stakeholders seeking to navigate this dynamic market in the years ahead.