In 2025 the European video‑game industry amassed a total turnover of €30 billion, with digital transactions representing a dominant 91 percent of that figure, according to the latest figures released by Video Games Europe (VGE). This milestone underscores the continuing shift toward online purchases, micro‑transactions and downloadable content across the continent’s diverse gaming ecosystem. A notable development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship market analysis, the All About Games report. Previously confined to the five largest European territories—commonly referred to as the EU5 (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.
By extending its geographic coverage to sixteen economies, VGE aims to deliver a more comprehensive picture of consumer behaviour, revenue streams and employment trends throughout the region. To compile the expanded dataset, VGE commissioned the research firm Ipsos, which pulled information from several industry‑specific sources, including the GameTrack platform, the Global Software Development (GSD) database, and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The combined survey reached a total of 39,371 respondents, providing a robust statistical foundation for the findings.
When the numbers are broken down, the original EU5 segment recorded a modest decline of 4 percent year‑on‑year, falling from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Germany continued to be the powerhouse of the region, generating the highest revenue among the five core markets at €6.5 billion.
Despite the dip in the EU5, the inclusion of the eleven new territories helped push overall European gaming revenue to the €30 billion mark. Employment data paints an equally encouraging picture. Across the United Kingdom and the European Union, a total of 123,000 individuals were employed by 8,700 distinct game‑development studios in 2025.
Women accounted for roughly a quarter of the workforce, representing 24 percent of all employees. The United Kingdom led the continent in terms of headcount, with 28,520 people working in the sector, followed by Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410).
These figures highlight the sector’s role as a significant source of skilled jobs and its contribution to the broader digital economy. Platform preferences among European gamers continued to evolve. Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they primarily played on these devices.
Console gaming retained a solid foothold at 47 percent, while PC usage stood at 34 percent. In monetary terms, mobile and tablet platforms were responsible for nearly half of the total industry revenue, reaffirming the importance of the “play‑anywhere” model and the lucrative nature of in‑app purchases. When it comes to top‑grossing titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts.
EA’s sports franchise secured the two highest‑earning spots with EA Sports FC 26 and its predecessor FC 25, while the long‑running Battlefield 6 claimed the third position. On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also emerged as the best‑selling game, followed closely by Rockstar’s evergreen classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to generate substantial revenue years after their initial releases. Mobile gaming saw a different set of leaders. The casual‑strategy title Coin Master topped the charts, with Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga occupying the second and third slots respectively.
These results illustrate the sustained appetite for quick‑session, free‑to‑play experiences that monetize through micro‑transactions. Overall player penetration reached 199 million individuals across Europe in 2025, with women representing 46 percent (approximately 91.5 million) of that audience.
The United Kingdom remained the single largest national market, boasting 25 million active gamers. Average weekly playtime across the continent fell slightly to 8.39 hours per player, down from 9.4 hours the previous year. Age‑specific data revealed that younger children (6‑11 years) logged an average of 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers (12‑17 years) spent about 14.30 hours gaming each week. Parental involvement in gaming habits also featured prominently in the report.
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‑limit controls or content filters—to monitor or restrict gameplay.
Moreover, 74 percent indicated that they have established agreements, conduct regular monitoring, or employ family‑setting features to manage online interactions and ensure a safe digital environment for their kids. Within the EU5, 72 percent of parents said their children did not purchase any in‑game content.
Among the minority who did make purchases, a substantial 93 percent confirmed that they kept a close watch over those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game items dropped by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting either more cautious spending habits or the impact of increased parental oversight. In summary, the 2025 data from Video Games Europe paints a picture of a mature, digitally‑centric market that continues to grow in revenue despite modest declines in its traditional core economies. The expansion of the All About Games report to sixteen countries provides richer insight into regional nuances, while the employment figures and gender balance illustrate the sector’s expanding role as a key employer in the European tech landscape.
Platform trends confirm the dominance of mobile gaming, yet consoles and PCs remain vital revenue generators, especially for high‑budget franchises. Finally, the heightened involvement of parents and the observable reduction in child spending highlight an evolving ecosystem where consumer protection and responsible gaming are gaining greater prominence.