Updated Mar 17, 2026 by Video Games Europe
Video Games Europe is lobbying the European Commission to maintain the current Geo-Blocking Regulation exemption for non-audiovisual copyright-protected content to preserve commercial freedom for rights-holders.
The European video game sector generates €26.8 billion in annual revenue and employs over 116,000 people across the EU.
Industry analysis indicates that consumer demand for cross-border access to video games is modest, with low interest among the 54% of the European population that engages in gaming.
Economic modeling suggests that removing geo-blocking exemptions could depress developer and publisher revenues, as potential consumption gains would likely be offset by necessary price reductions.
Current licensing models for video games are already largely non-territorial and non-exclusive, meaning availability gaps are primarily limited to low-demand or low-rated titles.
Extending non-discrimination rules to video games could create regulatory friction by complicating compliance with national transparency requirements, such as localized age-rating systems.
Video Games Europe is lobbying the European Commission to maintain the current Geo-Blocking Regulation exemption for non-audiovisual copyright-protected content to preserve commercial freedom for rights-holders.
The European video game sector generates €26.8 billion in annual revenue and employs over 116,000 people across the EU.
Industry analysis indicates that consumer demand for cross-border access to video games is modest, with low interest among the 54% of the European population that engages in gaming.
Economic modeling suggests that removing geo-blocking exemptions could depress developer and publisher revenues, as potential consumption gains would likely be offset by necessary price reductions.
Current licensing models for video games are already largely non-territorial and non-exclusive, meaning availability gaps are primarily limited to low-demand or low-rated titles.
Extending non-discrimination rules to video games could create regulatory friction by complicating compliance with national transparency requirements, such as localized age-rating systems.