In 2025 the European video‑game industry 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 continuing shift toward online and downloadable content across the continent’s diverse gaming landscape. A notable development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship research effort, the All About Games report. Previously limited to the five largest European markets – 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 widening its geographical scope, VGE aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of the region’s gaming ecosystem, capturing trends that were previously hidden in smaller or emerging markets. To compile the expanded dataset, VGE engaged the market‑research firm Ipsos, which pulled figures from several reputable sources, including GameTrack, the Game Software Developers (GSD) association, and the newly published EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report. The resulting survey captured responses from 39,371 participants, offering a robust statistical foundation for the findings.
When the numbers are broken down, the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as the EU5) actually saw a modest contraction in revenue, falling 4 percent year‑on‑year to €25.7 billion, down from €26.8 billion recorded in 2024. Germany remained the powerhouse of the group, generating €6.5 billion, the highest national total among the EU5 nations. Employment figures paint an encouraging portrait of the sector’s health. In 2025, a total of 123,000 individuals were employed across roughly 8,700 game‑development studios operating in the EU and the United Kingdom.
Women accounted for 24 percent of this workforce, indicating a gradual but measurable improvement in gender diversity within an industry traditionally dominated by men. The United Kingdom emerged as the biggest employer, with 28,520 staff members, followed by Poland (14,930) and Germany (12,410). These numbers reflect not only the size of the domestic markets but also the growing importance of outsourcing, support services, and ancillary roles that sustain game production and distribution. Platform preferences among European gamers continued to evolve.
Mobile phones and tablets dominated usage, with 82 percent of respondents indicating they primarily play on these devices. Consoles were the second‑most popular platform at 47 percent, while PC usage stood at 34 percent.
In terms of revenue generation, mobile and tablet gaming contributed almost half of the total €30 billion, reinforcing the trend toward on‑the‑go entertainment. When it comes to titles that captured the top spots in 2025, the console segment was led by Electronic Arts.
EA’s sports franchise, EA Sports FC 26, claimed the number‑one position, with its predecessor FC 25 holding the runner‑up slot, and the long‑running Battlefield 6 rounding out the top three. On the PC front, Battlefield 6 also reigned supreme, followed closely by Rockstar Games’ evergreen classics Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which continue to draw substantial player bases 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 iconic match‑three puzzle game Candy Crush Saga occupying the second and third positions respectively.
These results highlight the enduring appeal of easy‑to‑pick‑up experiences that can be played in short bursts. Overall, 199 million Europeans reported playing video games in 2025. Women represented a substantial 46 percent of that audience, translating to roughly 91.5 million female gamers.
The United Kingdom stood out as the single largest national market, with 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 the previous year.
Age‑specific data reveal that younger children (ages 6‑11) logged an average of 11.35 hours per week, while teenagers (ages 12‑17) spent even more time gaming, averaging 14.30 hours weekly. Parental involvement remains a significant factor in the European gaming environment.
Seventy‑five percent of parents expressed a preference for taking an active role in setting limits on their children’s gaming activities. Moreover, 79 percent reported using one or more family‑setting tools—such as time‑limit features or content filters—to monitor or restrict gameplay, and 74 percent indicated they have established agreements, oversight mechanisms, or family settings to manage online interactions. In the EU5 markets specifically, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make in‑game purchases at all.
Among the minority who did, a striking 93 percent of parents reported that they kept a close watch on those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who were permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with 2024, suggesting either more cautious spending habits or the impact of increased parental supervision. These findings collectively illustrate a vibrant, yet maturing, European gaming sector.
While revenue continues to climb, especially through digital channels, the industry also faces evolving challenges related to workforce diversity, parental oversight, and the balance between mobile convenience and traditional console experiences. The expanded All About Games report, now covering 16 nations, will enable stakeholders to track these dynamics more precisely and to tailor strategies that support sustainable growth across the continent.