The European gaming market experienced a remarkable growth spurt in 2026, reaching a staggering €29.7 billion in revenue across 16 key markets. This surge was largely driven by the digital transformation of the industry, with digital sales accounting for a commanding 91% of the total revenue, leaving physical sales at just 9%.
This data comes from the comprehensive “All About Video Games” report, a collaborative effort between Video Games Europe and the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF). The report, published on August 26, 2026 provides an in-depth look at the state of the gaming market and the demographics of its players.
Mobile gaming leads the charge in device preferences
The report reveals that mobile and tablet devices were the top contributors to revenue, capturing 49% of the market share. Consoles followed with 30% while PC gaming accounted for 12%. The remaining revenue was not broken down by device.
When it comes to player preferences, mobile and tablet devices were the most popular choice, used by 82% of gamers. Consoles were a close second at 47% with PCs at 34%. The survey allowed for multiple device selections, reflecting the diverse gaming habits of European players.
Player demographics and gaming habits
The total number of gamers across the 16 European markets was 199 million representing 51% of the surveyed population aged 6 to 75. The gaming community is predominantly adult, with 77% of players being adults and 46% identifying as women. The average age of gamers is 34 and they spend approximately 8 hours and 59 minutes per week gaming.
This year’s report expanded its scope significantly, including data from 16 markets instead of the previous five major European countries. The player survey, conducted by Ipsos included 39,371 respondents and applied demographic weighting to ensure accurate representation.
The European game industry: growth and challenges
The European game industry is thriving, with approximately 6,600 game studios operating within EU member states in 2026. These studios employ around 95,000 people, with women making up 24.5% of the workforce. The number of game studios in the EU region increased by about 5% to 10% year-over-year, with new data from Bulgaria and Cyprus included in this tally.
However, employment levels remained flat or decreased by 1% to 2% compared to the previous year. Factors contributing to this stagnation include reduced industry investment, corporate restructuring, layoffs, and hiring slowdowns. The combined revenue for EU game developers and publishers was estimated at €24 billion highlighting the economic impact of the industry.
The report also shed light on development platforms, with PC and Mac being the dominant choices for game development. The percentage of studios developing for these platforms varied by country, with Croatia at 98.5% Spain at 95% Latvia at 94% and Germany at 79%. Due to varying survey methodologies, an
