In 2025 the European video‑game industry posted 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 increasingly marginal. 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 markets – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the study now covers a total of sixteen countries. The additional territories are Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. By incorporating these economies, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of gaming activity throughout the European Union and its neighboring states.
To compile the figures, VGE commissioned market‑research firm Ipsos, which pulled data from several established sources, including GameTrack, GSD and the newly released EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The combined survey captured responses from 39,371 individuals, offering a robust sample for statistical analysis. When the numbers are broken down by region, the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as EU5) recorded a modest 4 percent year‑on‑year decline, slipping from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Germany remained the top‑earning nation within this group, generating €6.5 billion in revenue, followed by the United Kingdom and France.
Employment data paints a similarly detailed portrait of the sector’s health. In 2025, the combined EU and UK landscape supported roughly 123,000 workers spread across 8,700 development studios. Women accounted for 24 percent of the workforce, indicating gradual progress toward gender balance, though there is still considerable room for improvement. The United Kingdom employed the largest number of staff – 28,520 people – with Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410) trailing behind.
Platform usage patterns reveal that mobile devices and tablets dominate the European market, with 82 percent of gamers reporting they primarily play on these handhelds. Consoles were the second‑most popular platform at 47 percent, while traditional PCs captured 34 percent of the audience. In terms of revenue generation, mobile and tablet gaming contributed almost half of the total €30 billion, confirming the lucrative nature of the mobile ecosystem. When it comes to top‑selling titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts, whose EA Sports FC 26 and its predecessor FC 25 occupied the first two spots on the sales chart, with Battlefield 6 taking third place.
On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also claimed the number‑one position, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ enduring classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to attract sizable player bases years after their initial release. The mobile arena was headed by the casual‑gaming juggernaut Coin Master, which secured the top rank, while Royal Match and the long‑standing Candy Crush Saga filled out the next two positions.
These results highlight the appeal of both chance‑based and puzzle‑oriented experiences for on‑the‑go audiences. Overall, 199 million Europeans reported playing video games in 2025, with women representing 46 percent of that total – 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 continent measured 8.39 hours per person, a slight dip from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024. Age‑specific data shows 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, indicating that younger demographics remain the most engaged. Parental involvement continues to be a significant factor in the European gaming environment. Seventy‑five percent of parents expressed a preference for taking an active role in setting limits on their children’s gaming activities.
Moreover, 79 percent reported using at least one family‑settings tool – such as time‑limits, content filters or purchase controls – to supervise or restrict gameplay, 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. Of the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents confirmed that they closely monitor those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who are permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with the previous year, suggesting a combination of tighter parental oversight and perhaps a shift in pricing strategies by publishers.
These findings collectively illustrate a vibrant yet evolving European gaming sector: revenue is robust and increasingly digital, mobile platforms dominate usage, and a growing number of nations are now represented in industry analyses. At the same time, employment figures and gender representation point to ongoing challenges and opportunities for the workforce, while parental attitudes highlight the importance of responsible gaming practices. As the market continues to expand and diversify, stakeholders—from developers and publishers to regulators and families—will need to adapt to the shifting dynamics that define Europe’s digital entertainment landscape.