In 2025 the European video‑game industry posted a total turnover of €30 billion, 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 continuing shift toward online purchases, downloadable content and subscription‑based models that have reshaped the continent’s gaming landscape over the past decade. A notable development in VGE’s annual review was the broadening of its flagship "All About Games" report.
Previously confined to the five largest markets – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the study now incorporates data from an additional eleven territories: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. By extending its geographic coverage to sixteen countries, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of consumer behaviour, revenue streams and employment trends across the European Union and the UK. To compile the figures, VGE commissioned market‑research specialist Ipsos, which drew on three major data sources: GameTrack, the Global Software Development (GSD) database, and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The combined survey reached 39,371 respondents, delivering a statistically robust snapshot of gaming activity across the region. When the new data is compared with the previous year, the traditional "EU5" core markets recorded a modest contraction, with revenue falling 4 percent year‑on‑year to €25.7 billion, down from €26.8 billion in 2024. Germany remained the biggest single‑country contributor, generating €6.5 billion, followed by the United Kingdom and France. Despite the dip in the core markets, the inclusion of the additional eleven economies helped push total European revenue to the €30 billion mark, highlighting the growing importance of smaller but increasingly digital‑savvy markets.
Employment figures also painted an encouraging picture. In 2025 the sector supported roughly 123,000 workers spread across 8,700 development studios throughout the EU and the UK. Women accounted for 24 percent of the workforce, a modest but steady improvement over previous years, reflecting ongoing industry initiatives to boost gender diversity in game design, programming and production roles.
The United Kingdom employed the largest number of professionals, with 28,520 staff members, followed by Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410). These numbers illustrate the concentration of development hubs in western and central Europe, while also signalling the rise of emerging talent pools in Eastern European nations such as Poland and Romania. Platform preferences continued to evolve. Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage, with 82 percent of gamers reporting they primarily played on these devices.
Console usage stood at 47 percent and PC at 34 percent. Not only did mobile platforms attract the most players, they also generated almost half of the total revenue, confirming the lucrative nature of the freemium and in‑app purchase models that thrive on smartphones. In the console arena, Electronic Arts retained the top spot, driven largely by the success of its EA Sports FC series – FC26 and FC25 occupied the first two positions on the sales chart, with the much‑anticipated Battlefield 6 rounding out the top three. On PC, Battlefield 6 also led the pack, followed by Rockstar Games’ evergreen titles Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to attract substantial player bases through regular updates and online multiplayer components.
Mobile gaming saw a different set of leaders. The casual puzzle‑strategy game Coin Master claimed the number‑one position, with Royal Match and Candy Crush Saga following closely. These titles benefit from highly engaging loops, frequent content updates and a global appeal that transcends language barriers.
Overall, 199 million Europeans reported playing video games in 2025, with women representing 46 percent of that audience (approximately 91.5 million female gamers). The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest market in terms of player count, with 25 million active gamers.
Average weekly playtime across the region was 8.39 hours, a slight decline from 9.4 hours the previous year. Younger demographics still logged higher engagement: children aged 6‑11 averaged 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers aged 12‑17 averaged 14.30 hours. Parental involvement in gaming remained strong.
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 at least one family‑setting tool—such as screen‑time limits, content filters or purchase controls—to monitor or restrict gameplay.
Additionally, 74 percent said they have formal agreements, monitoring practices, or family‑setting configurations in place 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. Of the minority who did, a striking 93 percent said they kept a close eye on those transactions, demonstrating heightened awareness of micro‑transaction spending.
Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game items fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting that either parental controls are becoming more effective or that children are becoming more cautious with their digital wallets. These findings collectively illustrate a maturing European gaming ecosystem: revenue is increasingly digital, the player base is diversifying, mobile platforms are cementing their dominance, and industry stakeholders—from developers to parents—are adapting to a landscape where play, purchase and protection intersect more than ever before.