In 2025 the European video‑game market reached 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 and downloadable content across the continent, as physical copies become increasingly marginal.
A notable development this year was the broadening of VGE’s flagship 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 nations: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland.
By covering sixteen countries in total, the report offers a more comprehensive picture of the region’s gaming landscape and highlights emerging trends in markets that were previously under‑represented. To compile the findings, VGE commissioned market‑research firm Ipsos, which drew on three major data sources – GameTrack, the Global Software Distribution (GSD) platform, and the newly released EGDF‑VGE Video Games Industry Insight Report.
The combined survey reached 39,371 respondents, providing a robust statistical foundation for the conclusions presented. When the numbers for the original five‑country bloc (often referred to as the EU5) are examined in isolation, a modest contraction becomes apparent. Revenue in these core markets slipped 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 EU5, generating €6.5 billion in sales, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain in descending order. Employment figures paint a similarly encouraging picture.
Across the European Union and the United Kingdom, 123,000 individuals were employed by 8,700 development studios in 2025. Women accounted for roughly a quarter of this workforce, representing 24 percent of all gaming‑industry employees.
The United Kingdom alone provided jobs for 28,520 people, making it the largest employer in the sector, while Poland (14,930 employees) and Germany (12,410 employees) rounded out the top three. Platform usage data reveal that mobile devices and tablets continue to dominate the consumer market. An impressive 82 percent of gamers reported playing on a handheld device, a figure that dwarfs the 47 percent who favor consoles and the 34 percent who primarily use personal computers.
Correspondingly, mobile and tablet platforms were responsible for almost half of the total industry revenue, reinforcing the importance of touch‑based experiences and the monetisation models that thrive on them. In the console arena, Electronic Arts retained its leading position throughout 2025.
EA’s flagship sports titles, EA Sports FC26 and FC25, occupied the first two slots on the sales chart, with the long‑running shooter franchise Battlefield 6 taking third place. Battlefield 6 also topped the PC rankings, where it was followed closely by Rockstar Games’ evergreen titles Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, both of which continue to generate substantial income through regular updates and microtransactions.
Mobile gaming leaders were similarly clear‑cut. The casual‑strategy game Coin Master claimed the number‑one spot, while Royal Match and the ever‑popular Candy Crush Saga secured the second and third positions respectively.
These titles illustrate the potency of free‑to‑play models that rely on in‑app purchases and advertising revenue. Player demographics indicate that 199 million Europeans engaged in video‑gaming activities during 2025. Women made up 46 percent of this audience, equating to 91.5 million female gamers.
The United Kingdom emerged as the single largest national market, boasting 25 million active players. On average, gamers reported spending 8.39 hours per week on games, a slight decline from the 9.4 hours recorded in 2024.
Age‑specific data show that younger children (6‑11 years) logged an average of 11.35 hours weekly, while teenagers (12‑17 years) spent even more time, averaging 14.30 hours per week. Parental involvement remains a critical factor in the European gaming ecosystem. Seventy‑five percent of parents expressed a desire to participate in setting limits on their children’s gaming activities.
Moreover, 79 percent reported using at least one family‑setting tool—such as time‑limit controls or content filters—to monitor or restrict playtime, and 74 percent indicated that they have established agreements, oversight mechanisms, or family‑setting configurations to manage online interactions. Within the EU5, 72 percent of parents said their children did not make any in‑game purchases. Among the minority who did, a substantial 93 percent of parents confirmed that they actively supervise those transactions. Notably, the average amount spent by children who are permitted to buy in‑game content fell by 13 percent compared with the previous year, suggesting either more cautious spending habits or the impact of stricter parental controls.
Overall, the 2025 data illustrate a vibrant and evolving European gaming market, characterized by strong digital revenue, expanding geographic coverage, and a growing emphasis on responsible play and parental oversight. The sector’s continued growth, especially on mobile platforms, signals ample opportunities for developers, publishers, and ancillary service providers to innovate and capture new audiences across the continent.