In 2025 the European video‑game market 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 and the growing importance of downloadable content, micro‑transactions and subscription services across the continent. A notable development this year was VGE’s decision to broaden the scope of its flagship All About Games report.
Previously the analysis had been confined to the five biggest European territories – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – collectively known as the EU5. The new edition now incorporates data from an additional eleven countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland.
By covering sixteen markets in total, the study offers a more comprehensive picture of the region’s gaming ecosystem and highlights emerging trends in smaller yet fast‑growing economies. To compile the figures, VGE commissioned market‑research firm Ipsos, which drew on several established data sources, including GameTrack, the Game Software Developers (GSD) database, and the freshly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The resulting survey captured responses from 39,371 participants, providing a robust statistical foundation for the conclusions presented.
When the numbers are broken down by region, the traditional powerhouses show a mixed performance. Revenue in the EU5 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 nation within this group, generating €6.5 billion, followed by France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. The modest decline reflects a combination of market saturation, tighter consumer spending, and heightened competition from mobile and streaming platforms.
Employment figures paint an optimistic counter‑balance to the revenue dip. Across the United Kingdom and the European Union, an estimated 123,000 individuals were employed by 8,700 game‑development studios in 2025. Women accounted for roughly a quarter of the workforce (24 percent), indicating gradual progress toward gender diversity in an industry historically dominated by men.
The United Kingdom led the region in headcount, with 28,520 employees, while Poland and Germany followed with 14,930 and 12,410 staff members respectively. Platform usage data reveals that mobile devices and tablets continue to dominate the European gaming landscape. Approximately 82 percent of gamers reported playing on a handheld device, making it the most popular entry point.
Consoles were the second‑most common platform at 47 percent, and personal computers accounted for 34 percent of usage. In monetary terms, mobile and tablet gaming contributed nearly half of the total €30 billion revenue, underscoring the profitability of the freemium and in‑app purchase models that thrive on these devices.
When it comes to the most successful titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts. EA’s sports franchise, EA Sports FC 26, claimed the top spot, with its predecessor FC 25 occupying the second position, and the long‑running Battlefield 6 rounding out the top three. On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also emerged as the best‑selling game, closely followed by Rockstar’s evergreen classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to attract large audiences through regular updates and online multiplayer modes.
The mobile arena told a slightly different story. The casual‑gaming heavyweight Coin Master secured the number‑one ranking, with Royal Match and the perennial favorite Candy Crush Saga taking second and third place respectively. These titles benefit from highly engaging loop mechanics and a global user base that drives continuous revenue through micro‑transactions. Player demographics illustrate the breadth of the market.
In total, 199 million Europeans reported playing video games in 2025, and women represented a substantial 46 percent of that audience (about 91.5 million female gamers). The United Kingdom alone accounted for 25 million players, making it the single largest national market within the study.
Time‑spend metrics show a slight reduction in average weekly gameplay. Players logged 8.39 hours per week on average, down from 9.4 hours in the previous year.
Younger gamers, however, still devoted significant time to their hobby: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 logged an even higher 14.30 hours. Parental involvement remains a key factor in shaping younger gamers’ experiences. Seventy‑five percent of European parents indicated they prefer to be actively involved in setting limits on video‑game usage for their children.
Moreover, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as screen‑time limits, content filters or purchase restrictions—to monitor or curb gameplay, and 74 percent said they have explicit agreements, monitoring practices, or family‑setting configurations in place to manage online interactions. In the EU5 markets, 72 percent of parents stated that their children did not make in‑game purchases. Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents claimed they kept a close eye on those transactions, reflecting heightened awareness of the financial implications of micro‑transactions.
Interestingly, average spending among children who were permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting that either parental controls are becoming more effective or that younger players are becoming more discerning about where they allocate their money. Overall, the 2025 All About Games report paints a nuanced picture of a mature yet still expanding European gaming sector.
While revenue growth in the traditional EU5 markets has plateaued, the inclusion of new countries, the rise of mobile gaming, and continued investment in talent indicate a vibrant ecosystem poised for further evolution in the years ahead.