The European video‑game market posted an impressive combined turnover of €24 billion in 2024, supported by more than 6,600 development studios and a labour force that now exceeds 95,000 individuals. These figures come from the latest European Video Game Industry Insights Report, a collaborative publication produced by the European Games Development Association (EGDF) together with Video Games Europe (VGA).
The report draws on data collected throughout 2024, a timeline dictated by the extensive compilation process. First, each of the 28 EGDF member organisations prepares a detailed national snapshot of activity in their respective markets. These individual submissions are then merged to create a comprehensive, pan‑European overview that captures trends, revenues, employment levels and studio dynamics across the region.
One of the most striking takeaways from the 2024 edition is the contrast between talent‑pool growth and studio expansion. While the overall increase in the continent’s skilled workforce has essentially stalled – a sign that the pool of qualified developers, artists, designers and support staff is no longer expanding at its previous pace – the number of operational studios continued to rise, climbing somewhere between five and ten percent over the year.
This suggests that existing talent is being redistributed, that studios are becoming more efficient, or that new companies are emerging in markets that previously hosted fewer developers. Country‑specific data illustrate this divergence. Finland, Italy and the Czech Republic, for instance, all recorded modest but steady gains in employment within the sector, indicating that local ecosystems remain attractive for both new hires and established firms.
Poland stood out as the EU’s largest employer in game development and publishing, boasting the highest head‑count of professionals and releasing the greatest number of new titles – 450 games in 2024 alone. The United Kingdom also maintained a strong presence, with its gaming workforce reaching 28,516 employees, positioning it among the top contributors to the European talent pool. The 2024 report also marked a milestone by including two nations for the first time: Bulgaria and Cyprus. Cyprus, despite its relatively small size, generated €4.3 billion in turnover, earning the distinction of being the principal revenue hub for the European gaming industry.
Its rapid ascent reflects strategic investments, a supportive regulatory environment, and a growing community of local developers who are increasingly successful on the international stage. Bulgaria, meanwhile, was highlighted as a crucial regional hub, benefitting from its proximity to major talent sources in Romania and Türkiye. The country’s emerging ecosystem is characterized by a blend of indie studios, mid‑size developers, and a supportive network of service providers that together create a fertile ground for growth and cross‑border collaboration. The EGDF’s commentary underscores the mixed nature of the year’s performance.
On the one hand, the data demonstrate that, despite a challenging macro‑economic backdrop, several countries managed to push both revenue and studio counts upward, thereby lifting the aggregate European indicators. On the other hand, the sector also faced headwinds in the form of layoffs, corporate consolidations and a slight decline in employment in a few markets – the first recorded dip in workforce numbers for the European gaming industry. These employment setbacks are attributed to a combination of factors.
Some studios, after periods of rapid expansion, are now streamlining operations to improve profitability, leading to redundancies. Others are merging with larger entities to gain scale, which often results in overlapping roles being eliminated.
Additionally, the broader economic slowdown across Europe has tightened consumer spending on entertainment, prompting publishers to reassess budgets and staffing levels. Looking ahead, industry observers suggest that the sector’s resilience will depend on several key dynamics. Continued investment in education and training programs will be essential to replenish the talent pipeline and to equip workers with emerging skills such as AI‑driven game design, immersive XR experiences and advanced live‑ops management. Moreover, fostering cross‑border collaborations—particularly between established hubs like Poland, the UK and France, and newer entrants such as Cyprus and Bulgaria—could help distribute expertise and mitigate regional employment fluctuations.
Policy makers are also being called upon to maintain a supportive regulatory framework that encourages innovation while protecting intellectual property and ensuring fair competition. Tax incentives, grants for research and development, and streamlined certification processes for new technologies are among the measures that could sustain growth. In summary, the 2024 European Video Game Industry Insights Report paints a nuanced picture: revenue continues to climb, the number of studios expands, and certain markets are emerging as unexpected powerhouses. Yet, the stagnation of talent‑pool growth and the occurrence of layoffs signal that the industry must adapt strategically to preserve its upward trajectory and to safeguard the livelihoods of the 95,000‑plus professionals who drive Europe’s vibrant gaming ecosystem.