Report · March 1, 2024

European Key Facts 2023: Video Games Industry

Summary

The European video games industry is a significant cultural and economic driver, characterized by steady growth and a commitment to responsible gameplay. In 2023, the European market reached €25.7 billion in revenue, a 5% year-on-year increase. The sector employs approximately 115,000 people across Europe, with 90,000 based in the EU. This growth is supported by a diverse player base; 53% of the European population aged 6-64 plays video games, with an average player age of 31.4 years. Notably, 75% of players are adults, and women make up 43.5% of the total gaming population. The industry emphasizes a robust framework for minor protection and consumer transparency through the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, PEGI has issued nearly 40,000 age rating licenses across 40 countries. Awareness of these labels is high, with 79% of parents whose children play games recognizing the system. Furthermore, the industry actively promotes diversity and inclusion through various regional initiatives and addresses environmental sustainability via the Games Consoles Voluntary Agreement and the Playing for the Planet Alliance. To maintain global competitiveness, the industry advocates for a strategic EU policy framework. Key priorities include recognizing video games as unique creative works distinct from the audiovisual sector, addressing the digital skills gap through education and STEAM programs, and maintaining a fair regulatory environment that supports small and medium-sized enterprises. The data for these findings is derived from GameTrack and Games Sales Data (GSD) surveys conducted by Ipsos, involving a sample of 60,000 individuals across major European markets to ensure national representation.

From the report

# Table of Contents FOREWORD 04 01 EUROPE'S VIDEO GAME PLAYERS 07 Who plays video games in Europe? 08 Women and video games 10 Playtime 11 The Power of Play 12 04 FAIR AND RESPONSIBLE GAMEPLAY 22 PEGI, 20 years and counting 23 Family setting tools 28 02 GROWTH OF THEVIDEO GAMES INDUSTRY 13 Workforce and employment 15 Create, Attract & Invest in Skills & Talent in Europe 16 Top Selling Games in 2023 18 05 OUR (PARTNERS) AND ACTIONS 30 Diversity, Inclusion and Equality 31 Education and Upskilling Teachers across Europe 33 Games in Schools 34 Climate 34 Enhancing the Sustainability of Video Game Consoles 35 03 OUR (2024-2029) 19 MANIFESTO Our Asks from the EU 20 MEMBERS 36

# Foreword It has been another positive year for Europe’s video games industry – a sector that is leading the way in entertainment, digital innovation and digital fairness, delivering for players and consumers of all ages. In terms of the 2023 numbers, European video game market revenue is stable at €25.7bn (a year-on-year increase of 5%). Half of our European population continues to play video games (53%), 75% of whom are adults. The average age of a video gameplay in Europe is 31.4 and the industry employs close to 115,000 people in Europe and 90,000 in the EU, an increase of almost 7%. Video games have a unique status - a combination of technology and creative works - and are now correctly referred to by the EU institutions as creative, unique and complex works. This was stated in the conclusions adopted during the Spanish Presidency in November 2023 and also in the European Parliament resolution on exports and video games, adopted at the end of 2022. We hope this is a first path towards the recognition of video games as a distinct creative and cultural sector, just like music or books, while avoiding any conflation with the sports and film sectors. The creation of original video game intellectual property (IP), franchise value and deeply-immersive experiences gives fans the opportunity to play, watch, create, learn and engage, firmly establishing video games as part of mainstream culture across the region. From Swedish Candy Crush and Danish Subway Surfers on your phone to Lithuanian Human: Fall Flat on the Switch, Finnish Alan Wake 2 on a PS5 or Xbox, and the Polish Witcher series on a PC, European games offer unparalleled quality and variety. Players have never had so much choice. With success and popularity comes responsibility. 2023 was a milestone for the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system which celebrated its 20th anniversary. As Europe's trusted label for parents and guardians of children who play games, PEGI is one of the most successful examples of industry self-regulation and co-regulation in Europe, featuring an enforceable and regularly-updated Code of Conduct with real impact. Since its founding, more than 2,600 companies have signed up to the PEGI Code of Conduct. Nearly 40,000 age rating licences have been issued for video games that are distributed in 40 countries across Europe. Data shows that, among parents with children that play video games, awareness of the PEGI age rating labels is an impressive $79\%$ and Video Games Europe Chair SVP Publishing, International at Warner Bros EGDF President CEO, Remote Control Productions we're delighted that $62 \%$ of those parents use our tools to monitor or manage their children's gameplay. PEGI is Europe's trusted label for parents and guardians of children who play games.

ir SVP Publishing, International at Warner Bros EGDF President CEO, Remote Control Productions we're delighted that $62 \%$ of those parents use our tools to monitor or manage their children's gameplay. PEGI is Europe's trusted label for parents and guardians of children who play games. Companies adhering to the PEGI Code of Conduct must have safeguards in place to receive an age rating licence. Since 2007, PEGI has required companies with online gameplay to implement community standards and tools to protect players, including moderation and reporting features. For games where in-game purchases are possible, publishers must provide transparency and necessary tools to consumers. PEGI also offers tools for parents to manage playtime and select games based on age ratings. We are proud that our tools for responsible gameplay and minor protection are widely recognised as best-in-class. Our industry remains committed to maintaining a positive online environment and never becoming complacent. We will continue to lead in innovation, allowing parents and children to decide together on the best rules while respecting children's rights. With the start of a new EU mandate, there are some important asks of policymakers for Europe to continue to be a competitive market for video game development and investment. In particular, Europe and EU Member States must develop an ambitious long-term strategy to ensure access to a talent pipeline. We need support in addressing the skills gap, including equipping teachers and encouraging girls to join STEAM programmes. An aging population exacerbates the skills and labour gap, making it crucial for Europe to invest in skills, training, and professional game education policies to create a competitive and flourishing sector. Embracing talent from around the world is also essential to fill this gap. Additionally, investing in nurturing intellectual Video games are now correctly referred to by the EU institutions as creative, unique and complex works. property and unlocking the full potential of European game industry SMEs through innovation, start-up and production support will drive further growth. This, along with a fair regulatory framework, will help unlock innovation and respect the importance of the role of SMEs within the European games development infrastructure. We have many asks, but we are ready to work with policymakers to make Europe the best place for game development. With the right policies and support, our sector will excel, inspire creativity, create skilled jobs, drive growth, and entertain millions both in Europe and worldwide. 1. European Parliament resolution of 10 November 2022 on exports and video games (2022/2027(INI))

# The Data in this Report Data used in this publication is provided by Ipsos and commissioned by Video Games Europe. It is extracted from gametrack, GSD and the EGDF-VGE video games industry insights report. # GAMES SALES DATA Games Sales Data (GSD) is the first video games industry chart to include data on both retail and digital sales. Data outlined in this report is gathered from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, France, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. # GAMETRACK The polling is done in France, UK, Spain, Italy and Germany. It involves online polling of 12,000 people per country between the ages of six and 64 – 60,000 in total per year. There is also an annual face-to-face survey of 1,000 people per country which is nationally representative (in terms of age etc). This final step is used to calibrate the online data. GameTrack are three key metrics: - Volume- the number of games being acquired (both paid and free). - 2 Value- the amount of money being spent on games. - Demographics – who play games and how do people play games. Each metric breaks down the total market by specific devices and types of games. # HOW DO WE DO IT? Yearly fieldwork 1,000 NAT REP OFFLINE/YEAR cut-down weighting survey - Aged 18+) Monthly fieldwork 1,000 ONLINE REP / MONTH (FULL INTERVIEW) Aged 6-64 years Offline sample used to weight the online sample to be nationally representative for ages 6-64 Reporting Quarterly per market on 3,000 interviews # Europe's Video Game # Players 01

# Who plays video games in Europe? Data from 5 major European markets. Most people in Europe spend some of their leisure time playing video games. # 53% of the population aged 6- 64 plays video games # PERCENTAGE OF GAME PLAYERS IN EACH AGE GROUP 6-14 y/o 15-24 y/o 25-34 y/o 35-44 y/o 45-64 y/o 19% vs 18% in 2022 22% vs 21% in 2022 19% same as 2022 17% same as 2022 23% vs 25% in 2022 Almost 1 in 4 players (23%) are between the age of 45-64 years old. That is # 28.9 million players from the 5 major European markets: # VIDEO GAMES AREN'T JUST FOR KIDS 31y/o is the average age of a video game player in Europe 75% of video game players are adults (18 years old or older) # PERCENTAGE OF VIDEO GAME PLAYERS BY AGE GROUP # AMONGVIDEO GAME PLAYERS # 68% play on smartphones or tablets (vs 69% in 2022) # 56% play on consoles (vs $59\%$ in 2022) # 46% play on PC (vs $48 \%$ in 2022) Source: GameTrack data, provided by Ipsos Mori and commissioned by Video Games Europe. Source: GameTrack data, provided by Ipsos Mori and commissioned by Video Games Europe.

# Women and Video Games Close to 55 million women play video games in Europe. # Close to 55 million women play video games in Europe # 43.5% of European gameplayers are women # 32 y/o is the average age of women who play video games # 6.7 hours a week is the average playtime for women 45% play on smartphones or tablets 39% play on consoles 38% play on PC # PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN VIDEO GAME PLAYERS BY AGE GROUP 26% 32% 42% # Playtime The amount of time people spend playing video games has stayed consistent in the last 12 years. 73% play at least one hour per week 17% play at least one hour per month 10% play at least once a year 8.9 hours/week playing video games 16.31 hours/week on social media* 24 hours/week on watching TV** *GlobalWebIndex GWI Report on the time spent on social media platforms by a "typical" user. **Thinkbox TV Viewing Report 2023. Time spent watching TV broadcast plus subscription video on demand. Source: GameTrack data, provided by Ipsos Mori and commissioned by Video Games Europe. Source: GameTrack data, provided by Ipsos Mori and commissioned by Video Games Europe.

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