In 2025 the European video‑game market generated a total of €30 billion in revenue, with digital sales accounting for an overwhelming 91 percent of that figure, according to the latest figures released by Video Games Europe (VGE). This milestone underscores the continued shift toward online purchases, downloadable content, and subscription‑based services across the continent. A major development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship research publication, the All About Games report. Previously the analysis focused on the five largest European gaming economies – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – but the 2025 edition now covers sixteen countries.
The additional territories include Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. By widening the geographic scope, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of the market dynamics, consumer habits, and industry employment trends throughout the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom. To compile the data, VGE commissioned the market research firm Ipsos, which drew on multiple sources such as GameTrack, the Global Software Distribution (GSD) database, and the recently published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The combined survey reached 39,371 respondents, offering a robust sample that reflects both hardcore gamers and casual players across the region. When the numbers are broken down by the original “EU5” group, total revenue fell by 4 percent year‑on‑year, slipping from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025.
Germany remained the top‑earning market among the five, delivering €6.5 billion in sales, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. The modest decline can be attributed to a slowdown in console spending and a modest contraction in the premium PC segment, even as mobile and tablet revenues continued to rise. Employment figures paint an encouraging picture for the sector’s labour market.
In 2025 there were roughly 123,000 people working across 8,700 development studios spread throughout the EU and the UK. Women represented 24 percent of the total workforce, a figure that, while still below parity, reflects gradual progress toward greater gender diversity in game development and related roles. The United Kingdom employed the largest number of individuals, with 28,520 staff members, followed by Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410).
Smaller markets such as Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands also contributed notable headcounts, illustrating the widespread distribution of talent across the continent. Platform preferences among European gamers continued to evolve. Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage statistics, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they primarily played on these devices.
Console usage remained strong at 47 percent, while PC gaming accounted for 34 percent of the audience. Notably, mobile and tablet platforms generated almost half of the total industry revenue, highlighting the profitability of the free‑to‑play and in‑app purchase models that dominate that segment. In the console arena, Electronic Arts retained its leadership position in 2025.
EA Sports FC26 claimed the top spot on the charts, with its predecessor FC25 holding the second position, and the long‑running Battlefield 6 series rounding out the top three. On PC, Battlefield 6 also emerged as the best‑selling title, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ evergreen franchises Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to attract sizable audiences years after their initial releases. Mobile gaming saw a different set of leaders.
The casual puzzle‑strategy title Coin Master topped the list, with Royal Match and the iconic Candy Crush Saga completing the top three. These games benefit from strong social sharing features and frequent updates that keep players engaged over long periods. Overall, 199 million Europeans reported playing video games in 2025, with women accounting for 46 percent of that total (approximately 91.5 million female gamers). The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, boasting roughly 25 million active players.
Average weekly playtime across the region was measured at 8.39 hours, a slight decline from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024. Younger demographics still logged the highest engagement: 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 remains high.
Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to be actively involved in setting limits on their children’s video‑game usage. Correspondingly, 79 percent reported using at least one family‑setting tool—such as time‑limits, content filters, or purchase restrictions—to monitor or curtail gameplay.
Additionally, 74 percent said they have established agreements, actively supervise, or employ family‑setting features to manage online interactions and protect their children from inappropriate content. Within the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents indicated that their children did not make in‑game purchases. Among the minority who did, a strong 93 percent said they kept a close eye on those transactions, underscoring the importance parents place on financial oversight.
Spending behavior among children who are permitted to buy in‑game items showed a downward trend, with average expenditures dropping 13 percent compared with 2024. This reduction may reflect increased parental controls, greater awareness of micro‑transaction practices, or a shift toward free‑to‑play titles that rely less on direct spending. The expanded dataset and deeper analysis provided by the 2025 All About Games report give stakeholders—from developers and publishers to policymakers and investors—a clearer view of where growth opportunities lie, how consumer preferences are shifting, and what challenges the European gaming ecosystem may face in the years ahead.