The European video‑game market posted a combined revenue of €24 billion in 2024, supported by more than 6,600 development studios that together employ upwards of 95,000 individuals across the region. These figures come from the latest European Video Game Industry Insights Report, a joint publication by the European Games Development Association (EGDF) and Video Games Europe (VGA).
The report, which reflects data collected throughout 2024, is compiled through a multi‑stage process. First, each of the 28 EGDF member organisations prepares a detailed national snapshot of their own industry. Those individual contributions are then merged to create a comprehensive European overview.
Because of the time required to gather, verify, and harmonise the numbers, the analysis published this year is based on the previous calendar year’s activity. One of the most striking takeaways is that, despite a noticeable slowdown in the growth of the talent pool, the number of active studios continued to expand.
Across the continent, the studio count rose somewhere between five and ten percent during 2024, indicating that new companies are still being founded even as hiring rates level off. Countries such as Finland, Italy, and the Czech Republic exemplified this trend, each recording modest but steady increases in the size of their development workforces. Poland emerged as the clear leader in terms of employment, boasting the largest number of people working in game development and publishing within the EU. Polish studios also released the highest volume of new titles, with 450 fresh releases recorded during the year.
The United Kingdom followed with a substantial workforce of 28,516 professionals, underscoring its continued relevance as a major hub for both creative talent and commercial activity. The 2024 edition of the report also marked the first appearance of two smaller markets: Bulgaria and Cyprus. Cyprus, while modest in absolute size, generated €4.3 billion in turnover and was highlighted as the primary revenue‑driven hub in the region.
Bulgaria, meanwhile, was described as an "important regional hub surrounded by key European game industry talent" – a nod to its strategic position next to established talent pools in Romania and Türkiye. Commentary from the EGDF emphasized that the data paints a picture of resilience. "The report demonstrates that despite challenging times, industry growth continued in several countries, in both revenue and the number of studios, lifting both indicators at the European level," the association noted.
This optimism is tempered, however, by evidence of strain in other parts of the sector. The same statement acknowledges that layoffs, company consolidations, and a broader decline in employment have caused stagnation, and in some nations even a slight reduction in staff numbers – the first recorded dip in employment for the European gaming industry. To understand the dynamics behind these mixed signals, it helps to look at broader economic and technological forces.
On the one hand, the rise of accessible development tools, cloud‑based services, and a growing appetite for indie titles has lowered barriers to entry, encouraging entrepreneurs to launch new studios. This democratisation of game creation contributes to the upward trend in studio counts, even when large publishers are tightening budgets. On the other hand, the talent shortage that has affected many creative sectors in Europe – driven by competition from other tech fields, migration patterns, and a limited pipeline of specialised graduates – has capped the ability of existing firms to expand their staff. The report also highlights regional disparities.
While Northern and Western European nations such as the UK, Finland, and the Netherlands continue to attract sizable investments and maintain robust employment levels, some Southern and Eastern European markets are feeling the pinch of reduced hiring. Nonetheless, countries like Italy and the Czech Republic managed to post incremental gains, suggesting that localized policy measures, tax incentives, and university programmes may be beginning to bear fruit.
Looking ahead, industry stakeholders are calling for coordinated action to address the talent bottleneck. Proposals include expanding game‑development curricula at universities, fostering apprenticeship schemes, and creating cross‑border mobility programs that allow skilled workers to move more freely within the EU. At the same time, there is a push to support the burgeoning indie ecosystem through grant schemes, incubators, and easier access to publishing platforms.
In summary, the 2024 European games industry landscape is one of contrast: revenue continues to climb, and the number of studios is on an upward trajectory, yet the growth of the workforce has plateaued and, in a few cases, receded. The sector’s ability to adapt – by nurturing new talent, encouraging small‑studio innovation, and leveraging the continent’s diverse cultural assets – will determine whether the current momentum can be sustained into the next fiscal cycle.