In 2025 the European video‑game market amassed a total turnover of €30 billion, with digital sales representing a dominant 91 percent of that figure, according to the latest figures released by Video Games Europe (VGE). This milestone underscores the continued shift toward online distribution and in‑game purchases across the continent. A notable development this year is the broadening of VGE’s flagship publication, the All About Games report. Previously limited to the five largest European territories – 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.
The expansion provides a more comprehensive view of the market dynamics and consumer habits across the European Union and the UK. To compile the new dataset, VGE engaged the research firm Ipsos, which drew on information from GameTrack, the Global Software Development (GSD) database, and the freshly issued EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The combined survey reached 39,371 respondents, offering a robust statistical foundation for the conclusions presented.
When the figures for the original five‑country block (EU5) 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. Despite the overall dip, Germany remained the top‑earning nation within the group, generating €6.5 billion in sales, followed closely by France and the United Kingdom.
Employment data reveal that the sector continues to be a significant source of jobs. In 2025 a total of 123,000 individuals were employed across roughly 8,700 development studios operating in the EU and the UK.
Women accounted for about 24 percent of the workforce, indicating a modest but steady increase in gender diversity within the industry. The United Kingdom employed the largest number of staff, with 28,520 workers, while Poland and Germany followed with 14,930 and 12,410 employees respectively.
These figures highlight the importance of both Western and Central European hubs for game development and publishing. Platform usage patterns show that mobile devices and tablets dominate the European gaming landscape, with 82 percent of players reporting regular use of these devices. Console gaming remains popular, attracting 47 percent of respondents, and PC gaming holds a 34 percent share.
In terms of revenue generation, mobile and tablet platforms contributed nearly half of the total €30 billion, reflecting the lucrative nature of the free‑to‑play and in‑app purchase models prevalent on these devices. When it comes to top‑grossing titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts, whose sports franchise EA Sports FC26 and its predecessor FC25 occupied the two highest‑earning slots, with Battlefield 6 taking the third position.
On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also emerged as the best‑selling game, followed by Rockstar’s enduring classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to generate strong sales years after their initial releases. The mobile arena saw a different set of leaders.
Coin Master topped the charts, with Royal Match and the long‑standing Candy Crush Saga rounding out the three most profitable mobile games for the year. These titles illustrate the continued appeal of casual, highly accessible experiences that attract a broad demographic. Player demographics indicate that 199 million Europeans engaged in gaming activities during 2025. Women represented 46 percent of that audience, amounting to roughly 91.5 million female gamers.
The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, boasting 25 million active players. Average weekly playtime across the region was measured at 8.39 hours per player, a slight decline from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024. Age‑specific data reveal that children aged 6‑11 spent an average of 11.35 hours per week gaming, while teenagers aged 12‑17 logged a higher average of 14.30 hours.
Parental involvement remains a key factor in shaping gaming habits. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to participate in setting limits on their children’s video‑game usage. Moreover, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools to monitor or restrict playtime, and 74 percent indicated they have explicit 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 at all.
Among the minority who did buy virtual items, a substantial 93 percent of parents reported that they kept a close watch on those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who are permitted to purchase in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with the previous year, suggesting either more cautious spending habits or the impact of parental controls. Overall, the 2025 data paint a picture of a maturing European gaming ecosystem: revenue continues to grow, digital distribution dominates, mobile platforms are the primary engine of sales, and both developers and policymakers are paying increasing attention to issues such as gender representation, employment quality, and responsible gaming for younger audiences. The expanded geographic coverage of the All About Games report will enable stakeholders to track these trends with greater granularity in the years to come.