Video games industry Annual Key Facts published today with new markets, new rules and huge ambition

Brussels, 26 August 2026 - Presenting the annual key facts report today, Video Games Europe and EGDF have ramped up the extent of their data collection¹ what was already a significant tracking of the five main markets² to 16 countries, making it the most authoritative source of industry market data in Europe.  All About Video Games – a comprehensive and definitive picture of Europe’s video games sector – including the revenue, employment and player numbers. 

Here are the highlights for the 16 markets: 

• 199 million players – 51% of Europe’s population aged 6-75 
• 46% of players are women, 77% are adults, and the average age is 34 
• 123,000 people are employed in the EU and the UK, 24% of whom are women 
• Revenue is €29.7 billion³, split by device is 91% digital and 9% physical 
• Most of the games played are single-player  
• There are 8,700 game developer studios in Europe 
• 82% of players have played on mobile, making it the most-used device 
• Major new rules from the co-regulatory minor protection system for video games: PEGI introduces new criteria around purchases of in-game content and interaction risks 
• 93% of parents of children who play video games monitor their purchases of in-game content 

Clemens Mayer-Wegelin, Chair of the Board Video Games Europe and Nintendo of Europe’s Managing Director General Counsel Europe, said

“Europe’s video game sector has been a positive outlier and one of the few beacons of creative and tech success for the continent. This year we have extended our report from the five main markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK) to 16 countries, adding Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland.  This is to ensure that trusted data tracking the evolution of video game play across Europe is publicly available. We hope this data will be a useful resource for policymakers and anyone interested in our sector.” 

Hendrik Lesser, President EGDF and CEO of Remote Control Productions GmbH said:

“Our industry’s priorities continue to be making Europe the best place to make games, attracting investment, building skills and talent, driving exciting tech innovation and pushing the boundaries of games as an artistic medium – all whilst strengthening European cultural and technological sovereignty and setting the bar for self- and co-regulation and minor protection standards.”  

Any journalist interested in topics relevant to Video Games Europe and EGDF is welcome to get in touch with us for information or individual briefings. 

Download the report

For further information, please contact: 

Players are at the heart of what we do 
Since 1998, Video Games Europe has ensured that the voice of a responsible games ecosystem is heard and understood. Its mission is to support and celebrate the sector’s creative and economic potential and to ensure that players around the world enjoy the benefits of great video game playing experiences. https://www.videogameseurope.eu 

EGDF - Press Contact 

Jari-Pekka Kaleva 
Managing Director of EFDF and Senior Policy Analyst, Neogames, Finland 
tel:+348407163640 
Email:Jari-pekka.kaleva@egdf.eu 
www.egdf.eu 
 

Uniting the industry 
The European Games Developer Federation e.f. (EGDF) unites national trade associations representing game developer studios based in 26 European countries: Austria (PGDA), Belgium (FLEGA and WALGA), Croatia (CGDA), Czech Republic (GDACZ), , Finland (Suomen pelinkehittäjät), France (SNJV), Germany (GAME and GBM), Ireland (IMIRT), Italy (IIDEA), Lithuania (LZKA), Netherlands (DGA), North-Makedonia (MGI), Norway (Virke), Poland (PGA, Indie Game Poland Foundation), Portugal (AVPV), Romania (RGDA), Serbia (SGA), Spain (DEV), Slovakia (SGDA), Sweden (SpelplanASGD), Switzerland (SGDA), Turkey (TOGED) and the United Kingdom (TIGA). For more information, visit https://www.egdf.eu/.