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 purchases, downloadable content and subscription‑based models that have reshaped how European gamers obtain their entertainment.
A notable development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship research effort, the All About Games report. Previously confined to the five largest markets – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the study now encompasses sixteen countries. The additional territories include Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland, providing a more comprehensive picture of the continent’s gaming ecosystem.
To compile the new dataset, VGE commissioned market‑research firm Ipsos, which pulled information from several established sources such as GameTrack, the Game Software Developers (GSD) association, and the freshly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The survey gathered responses from 39,371 participants, ranging from casual players to industry professionals, ensuring a robust statistical foundation. When the numbers are broken down, the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as the EU5) experienced a modest contraction of 4 percent year‑on‑year, slipping from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025.
Germany remained the powerhouse within this group, generating €6.5 billion in revenue and retaining its position as the top‑earning market among the EU5. Employment figures also paint an encouraging portrait.
Across the United Kingdom and the broader European Union, 123,000 individuals were employed by 8,700 development studios in 2025. Women accounted for roughly one‑quarter of the workforce (24 percent), a gradual improvement in an industry historically dominated by male employees. The United Kingdom employed the greatest number of staff, with 28,520 workers, followed by Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410). Platform preferences continued to evolve.
Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage statistics, with 82 percent of gamers reporting they primarily played on these devices. Console usage stood at 47 percent, while PC gaming attracted 34 percent of respondents. In terms of revenue generation, mobile and tablet platforms contributed nearly half of the total €30 billion, confirming the lucrative nature of the handheld market.
When it comes to top‑selling titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts. EA’s sports franchise, EA Sports FC 26, claimed the number‑one spot, with its predecessor FC 25 taking second place, and the long‑running Battlefield 6 rounding out the top three.
The PC arena mirrored this trend, as Battlefield 6 also topped the charts, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ evergreen hits Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to attract substantial player bases years after release. Mobile gaming saw a different set of leaders.
The casual‑strategy title Coin Master held the premier position, while Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga occupied the second and third slots respectively. These results highlight the enduring appeal of free‑to‑play titles that monetize through in‑app purchases and ad‑supported models. Overall participation in gaming remained high, with 199 million Europeans reporting that they played video games in 2025. Women represented 46 percent of this audience, translating to 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 fell slightly to 8.39 hours per player, down from 9.4 hours in the previous year.
Younger demographics still logged the most time: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 spent an average of 14.30 hours gaming each week. Parental involvement in gaming habits also showed noteworthy trends.
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—such as time‑limits, content filters or purchase restrictions—to supervise or curb gameplay, and 74 percent indicated they have explicit agreements or monitoring practices in place to manage online interactions. Within the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make any in‑game purchases.
Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents reported that they closely monitored those transactions. Interestingly, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content decreased by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting either tighter parental controls, more cautious spending habits among younger players, or a shift toward free‑to‑play experiences that rely less on direct monetary transactions.
These findings collectively illustrate a vibrant, increasingly digital European gaming landscape. While revenue growth slowed in the traditional EU5 markets, the expansion into additional countries and the continued dominance of mobile platforms point to new opportunities for developers, publishers and ancillary service providers. The data also underscores the importance of responsible gaming practices, with a majority of parents actively engaging in oversight and a noticeable decline in youth spending on microtransactions. As the industry moves forward, stakeholders are likely to focus on balancing monetisation strategies with consumer protection, fostering inclusive employment, and leveraging the expanding geographic footprint to sustain growth beyond the €30 billion benchmark achieved in 2025.