In 2025 the European video‑game market generated a total of €30 billion in revenue, with digital sales representing an overwhelming 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 services across the continent. A notable development this year is the broadening of VGE’s flagship research publication, the All About Games report. Previously limited to the five largest European gaming economies – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the study now incorporates data from an additional eleven countries, bringing the total coverage to sixteen.
The newly added territories are 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 industry’s health, trends and employment landscape throughout the European Union and its neighboring markets. To compile the expanded dataset, VGE commissioned the market research firm Ipsos, which drew on several established sources, including the GameTrack and GSD databases as well as the freshly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The combined effort resulted in a survey that reached 39,371 respondents, offering a robust statistical foundation for the findings presented. When the numbers are broken down by region, the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as the EU5) experienced a modest contraction of 4 percent year‑on‑year, falling from €26.8 billion in 2024 to €25.7 billion in 2025. Despite the dip, Germany remained the top‑earning nation within the group, delivering €6.5 billion in sales and reaffirming its status as a central hub for both development talent and consumer spending.
Employment data paints an encouraging picture of job creation across the sector. In 2025, a total of 123,000 individuals were employed by 8,700 game‑development studios spread across the EU and the United Kingdom.
Women accounted for roughly one‑quarter of the workforce, representing 24 percent of all employees. The United Kingdom led the continent in sheer headcount, with 28,520 people working in the industry, followed by Poland with 14,930 and Germany with 12,410 employees. Platform preferences among European gamers continue to evolve. Mobile phones and tablets dominate usage statistics, with 82 percent of players reporting that they primarily game on these handheld devices.
Consoles remain a strong secondary platform, attracting 47 percent of respondents, while traditional PC gaming captured 34 percent. In terms of revenue contribution, mobile and tablet gaming alone generated almost half of the total €30 billion, highlighting the lucrative nature of the mobile market. When it comes to top‑performing titles, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts, whose flagship sports franchise EA Sports FC26 secured the number‑one spot, with its predecessor FC25 taking the runner‑up position. Battlefield 6 completed the console podium, demonstrating the enduring appeal of first‑person shooter experiences on console hardware.
The PC arena mirrored some of these trends. Battlefield 6 also topped the PC charts, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ long‑standing classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to generate strong sales years after their initial releases.
Mobile gaming saw a different set of leaders. The casual‑strategy game Coin Master claimed the top position, while Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga held the second and third places respectively. These results reinforce the notion that quick‑play, socially‑connected titles dominate the handheld space.
Player demographics reveal broad participation across the continent. In total, 199 million Europeans engaged in video‑game play during 2025. Women represented a substantial share of the audience, accounting for 46 percent (approximately 91.5 million female gamers).
The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, with 25 million active players. Average weekly playtime across all age groups fell slightly to 8.39 hours, down from 9.4 hours in the previous year. Younger gamers, however, still spent considerable time on their devices: children aged 6‑11 logged an average of 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 averaged 14.30 hours. Parental involvement remains a key factor in shaping gaming habits.
Seventy‑five percent of European parents expressed a desire to be actively involved in setting limits on their children’s gaming activities. Correspondingly, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as screen‑time controls, content filters or purchase restrictions—to monitor or curb gameplay. Additionally, 74 percent said they have established agreements, conduct regular monitoring, or employ family‑setting features to manage online interactions and ensure a safe digital environment.
In the EU5 markets specifically, 72 percent of parents indicated 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 watch on those transactions.
Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content dropped by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting a growing awareness of spending habits and perhaps more effective parental oversight. Overall, the 2025 data illustrate a vibrant and increasingly digital European gaming ecosystem.
Revenue growth, expanded geographic coverage, strong employment figures, and heightened parental engagement collectively point to an industry that is both economically significant and socially integrated across the continent.