Europe in numbers

Video Games Europe's latest Key Facts report puts the European games market at €29.7bn across the 16 countries it tracks, with 199 million players aged 6 to 75. That is 51% of the population in that age range. The average player is 34, 77% of players are adults and 46% are women. Players spend about nine hours a week playing.[1]

Almost all of that money is now digital: 91% of revenue, against 9% physical. By device, smartphones and tablets take 49% of revenue, consoles 30% and PC 12%.[1] That split matters, because the right launch plan for a mobile title looks very different from a console or PC launch.

The big individual markets are Germany, where games, hardware and online services generated about €9.4bn in 2025,[2] and the UK, where consumers spent £7.63bn on games in 2024.[3]

1. Choose your markets before you set your budget

Most publishers start with the EFIGS markets: English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. It is a sensible default, but check it against your own platform and genre. On Steam, for example, German is the main language of 2.48% of users, French 2.08%, Spanish (Spain) 4.08%, Polish 1.49% and Italian 0.56%.[10] Poland can matter more than Italy for a PC strategy game, while Italy behaves very differently for console and mobile.

Decide which markets get the full campaign, which get localisation and PR only, and which are covered by global activity. Then set the budget.

2. Get ratings and consumer rules right early

PEGI is the age rating system in 36 European countries, and it has been legally enforceable in the UK since July 2012.[4] Germany is the main exception: it uses the USK system instead.[5] On Steam, games without a German age rating have been hidden from customers in Germany since 15 November 2024, and some content cannot be sold there at all.[6]

If your game sells virtual currency, read the Key Principles on in-game virtual currencies that the EU's Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network published in March 2025.[7] They include showing the price of in-game items in real money, letting players buy the exact amount of currency they need, and explaining withdrawal rights.[8] The same action named nine companies and their games, so regulators are paying attention. This is general information, not legal advice; take local legal advice for your title.

3. Localise more than the text

Translation is the minimum. A European launch also needs localised store pages, trailers with subtitles or local voice-over where it pays back, key art that works in each market, and press materials in the local language. Brief creators in their own language and let them make content their audience recognises. A joke that lands in London may not land in Lyon.

4. Build your calendar around Europe's big moments

gamescom in Cologne is the centre of the European games calendar. The 2025 show drew 357,000 visitors from 128 countries and over 34,000 trade visitors, and its Opening Night Live show reached 72 million viewers.[9] A gamescom announcement, demo or hands-on session gives you a European news moment that national media and creators can follow up.

Around it, plan national moments: local consumer shows, press previews and creator events in each priority market. For PC titles, a demo in Steam Next Fest can build wishlists ahead of launch; Valve publishes its guidance for participants in the Steamworks documentation.[11]

5. Run PR, creators and media as one plan

The launches that work best in Europe treat PR, creators, content, paid media and community as one roadmap with shared beats. On Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, we ran a single campaign across the UK, EU and Middle East: exclusive drops with IGN and PlayStation, a global Cristiano Ronaldo reveal, structured beats across two open betas, and full-funnel media including London and Paris bus takeovers. On Granblue Fantasy: Relink, private demos and trade show activations introduced an unfamiliar franchise to Europe before launch.

6. Measure what matters commercially

Agree the commercial measures before the campaign starts: wishlists, pre-orders, review scores, players at launch and retention. Then judge every channel against them, not against coverage counts alone.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a PEGI rating to sell a game in Europe?

PEGI is the age rating system in 36 European countries and is legally enforceable in the UK. Germany uses USK instead, and Steam hides games without a German rating from customers in Germany. Check the rules for each platform and market you sell in.

Which languages should I localise into first for Europe?

Most publishers start with English, French, Italian, German and Spanish (EFIGS). Check that against your platform: on Steam, Polish is used by more players than Italian, so it can be worth adding for PC titles.

What is the most important event for a European game launch?

gamescom in Cologne. In 2025 it had 357,000 visitors from 128 countries, and Opening Night Live reached 72 million viewers.

Sources

  1. Video Games Europe, 2025 All About Video Games: European Key Facts
  2. Euronews, Gamescom: Germany is Europe's largest video game market (27 Aug 2026)
  3. VGC, UK consumer spending on video games in 2024 decreased for the first time in five years (Ukie data)
  4. Wikipedia, PEGI
  5. Wikipedia, Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK)
  6. GamingOnLinux, From November 15 all Steam games sold in Germany will need an age rating
  7. TLT, Fair play for gamers: CPC Network takes enforcement action on in-game virtual currencies
  8. Bird & Bird, European move towards protecting users from harmful practices in video games
  9. PocketGamer.biz, gamescom 2025 concludes with 357,000 visitors from 128 countries
  10. Steam Hardware & Software Survey, September 2026 (language usage)
  11. Steamworks Documentation, Steam Next Fest