In 2025 the European video‑game sector 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 and downloadable content across the continent, as physical copies become an increasingly marginal share of the market. A notable development this year is the enlargement of VGE’s flagship research publication, the All About Games report. Previously confined to the five largest economies – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the analysis now incorporates data from an additional eleven countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland.
By broadening the geographic scope, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of gaming activity throughout the European Union and its neighbouring markets, capturing trends that were previously hidden in smaller, isolated datasets. To compile the expanded study, VGE engaged the market‑research firm Ipsos, which drew on three major industry databases – GameTrack, the Global Software Distribution (GSD) platform, and the newly issued EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The combined effort yielded responses from 39,371 participants, ranging from casual players to industry professionals, thereby ensuring that the findings reflect both consumer behaviour and supply‑side dynamics.
When the numbers for the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as the EU5) are examined in isolation, a modest contraction becomes apparent. Revenue in these core markets fell by 4 percent year‑on‑year, dropping from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Germany remained the powerhouse of the region, generating €6.5 billion, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain in descending order.
Despite the dip, the overall health of the sector remains robust, driven largely by the explosive growth of mobile and tablet gaming. Employment figures paint an equally encouraging portrait. In 2025, the industry supported roughly 123,000 workers spread across 8,700 development studios located in both the EU and the United Kingdom.
Women accounted for 24 percent of the workforce, a modest but steady increase that signals gradual progress toward gender balance in a historically male‑dominated field. The United Kingdom employed the largest number of professionals – 28,520 individuals – with Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410) trailing behind. Platform usage data reveals that mobile devices and tablets dominate the European gaming landscape, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they primarily play on these handhelds.
Consoles maintain a solid presence at 47 percent, while traditional PC gaming registers a 34 percent share. In terms of revenue generation, mobile and tablet formats alone contributed nearly half of the total €30 billion, highlighting the lucrative nature of in‑app purchases, ad‑supported titles, and subscription services on small screens.
The console segment saw Electronic Arts retain its leadership position throughout 2025. EA’s sports franchise, EA Sports FC26, claimed the top spot on the console charts, with its predecessor FC25 holding second place, and the long‑running Battlefield 6 series rounding out the top three. On the PC side, Battlefield 6 again emerged as the most popular title, closely followed by Rockstar Games’ evergreen classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, both of which continue to attract substantial player bases years after their initial releases. Mobile gaming leaders were equally clear.
The casual‑strategy title Coin Master secured the number‑one ranking, with Royal Match and the iconic Candy Crush Saga occupying the next two positions. These results illustrate the enduring appeal of easy‑to‑pick‑up games that blend social interaction with micro‑transaction models.
Overall participation in gaming across Europe reached 199 million individuals in 2025. Women represented a sizable 46 percent of that audience, equating to roughly 91.5 million female gamers.
The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest market, boasting 25 million active players, while other sizable populations were recorded in Germany, France, and Poland. When it comes to time spent playing, the average European gamer logged 8.39 hours per week, a slight decline from the 9.4 hours reported in 2024. Younger demographics, however, continue to devote considerable time to interactive entertainment: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours per week, and teenagers aged 12‑17 logged an even higher 14.30 hours weekly.
Parental involvement remains a key factor in shaping gaming habits. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to be actively involved in setting limits on their children’s gaming activities. Correspondingly, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as time‑limit features, content filters, or purchase approvals—to monitor or restrict gameplay. Additionally, 74 percent indicated that they have established explicit agreements, conduct regular oversight, or employ built‑in family controls to manage online interactions and protect their children from unsuitable content.
In the EU5 markets specifically, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases at all. Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent confirmed that they kept a close eye on those transactions, ensuring that spending remained within acceptable boundaries. Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game items fell by 13 percent compared with the previous year, suggesting that heightened parental awareness and stricter control mechanisms are having a tangible impact on youth expenditure.
Taken together, these data points illustrate a European gaming ecosystem that is both financially robust and increasingly diversified across platforms, demographics, and geographic regions. While revenue growth in the traditional EU5 markets has plateaued, the expansion into additional countries and the continued rise of mobile gaming are offsetting those pressures. Moreover, the industry’s commitment to monitoring and supporting a safe, inclusive environment—evidenced by rising female participation and proactive parental involvement—positions it well for sustained expansion in the years ahead.