Essential Facts About Video Games in Italy 2023

Italy's video game market reached over €2.3 billion in 2023, a 5% increase on 2022 and 28% above 2019 levels, positioning the country among Europe's top five markets. Growth was driven largely by hardware, where sales rose 63% to €665 million on the back of new-generation consoles. Software, which accounts for 71% of revenue at €1.6 billion, declined 8% year-on-year, reflecting a softening in consumer spending on games.

Player engagement shows a more mixed picture. Italy counted 13 million video game players in 2023, down 8% from the previous year, with the decline concentrated among occasional players while a core of 9.5 million weekly players remained comparatively stable. Mobile devices remained the dominant platform at 71% of players, and average weekly playtime fell to 6.53 hours. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and EA Sports FC 24 led the national best-seller rankings, and roughly two-thirds of games sold were rated suitable for ages 3 to 12 under the PEGI system.

The sector's institutional landscape is also outlined, centred on the Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IIDEA). Its activities include the long-running Italian Video Game Awards and Italian Esports Awards, the "Games in Italy" label for promoting domestic studios abroad, the "Tutto sui Videogiochi" portal providing ratings and parental-control guidance to families and educators, and collaboration with start-up acceleration programmes. This component is descriptive rather than quantitative, providing context on how the industry's growth and promotion are supported. Together, the findings portray a market that expanded in value through hardware while facing contraction in player numbers and software spending.