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 continuing shift toward online and downloadable content across the continent’s diverse gaming landscape. A notable development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship "All About Games" report. Previously confined to the five largest markets—namely the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy—the analysis now spans sixteen countries.
The additional territories are Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland, providing a more comprehensive picture of gaming activity throughout the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom. To compile the expanded dataset, VGE engaged the market‑research firm Ipsos, which drew on information from the GameTrack and GSD databases as well as the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The resulting survey captured responses from 39,371 participants, offering a robust statistical foundation for the findings. When the numbers are broken down by region, the traditional "EU5" group experienced a modest contraction, with revenue falling 4 percent year‑on‑year to €25.7 billion, down from €26.8 billion recorded in 2024.
Germany remained the top‑earning nation within this core group, generating €6.5 billion in sales, followed closely by the United Kingdom and France. Employment figures also painted an encouraging picture. Across the EU and the UK, 123,000 individuals were employed by roughly 8,700 development studios in 2025.
Women accounted for 24 percent of the workforce, reflecting gradual progress toward gender balance in an industry historically dominated by men. The United Kingdom led in headcount with 28,520 employees, while Poland and Germany followed with 14,930 and 12,410 workers respectively. Platform preferences continued to evolve. Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage, with 82 percent of gamers reporting they primarily played on these devices.
Consoles were the second‑most popular platform at 47 percent, and personal computers captured 34 percent of the audience. In monetary terms, mobile and tablet gaming contributed almost half of the total €30 billion revenue pool, highlighting the lucrative nature of the freemium and in‑app‑purchase models that thrive on handheld devices.
The console market was led by Electronic Arts, whose titles EA Sports FC 26 and FC 25 occupied the top two slots on the leaderboard, with the long‑running Battlefield 6 taking third place. On the PC side, Battlefield 6 also secured the number‑one position, while Rockstar Games maintained a strong presence with its evergreen franchises Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5. Mobile gaming charts were topped by the casual hit Coin Master, followed by Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga.
These titles illustrate the broad appeal of quick‑play, socially integrated experiences that attract both seasoned gamers and newcomers. Overall participation in gaming continued to rise, with 199 million Europeans reporting that they played video games in 2025. Women represented 46 percent of this audience, amounting to 91.5 million female players.
The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, boasting 25 million active gamers. Average weekly playtime across the region measured 8.39 hours per player, a slight dip from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024. Age‑specific trends revealed that children aged 6‑11 logged an average of 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 spent about 14.30 hours gaming each week.
Parental involvement remained high. Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to take an active role in setting limits on their children’s gaming activities. Moreover, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools to monitor or restrict gameplay, and 74 percent indicated they have formal agreements, monitoring practices, or family‑setting configurations to manage online interactions.
In 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 reported that they closely supervised those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with the previous year, suggesting either more cautious spending habits or the impact of parental controls.
These findings collectively illustrate a maturing European gaming ecosystem: robust revenues driven largely by digital channels, expanding geographic coverage, steady employment growth, and an increasingly engaged player base that includes a sizable proportion of women and younger audiences. At the same time, the data underscores the importance of responsible gaming practices, with parents playing a pivotal role in guiding consumption and ensuring safe online experiences. The continued expansion of the All About Games report promises even richer insights for stakeholders as the industry moves forward.