Europe

The European video‑game sector seeks recognition as a distinct blend of technology and creative culture and urges policymakers to embed this identity in the EU’s 2024‑2029 strategic framework. By positioning games as a driver of digital innovation, cultural expression, and economic growth, the manifesto argues that tailored legislation, financing, and data‑collection mechanisms are essential to sustain the industry’s momentum and competitiveness.

Between 2019 and 2024 the sector expanded by 16 %, reaching €24 billion in revenue and employing roughly 110 000 highly‑skilled workers across the Union. More than half of Europeans (53 %) now play games, with women accounting for 46.7 % of the audience and the average gamer aged 32. Research indicates that girls who game are three times more likely to pursue STEM studies, underscoring the medium’s educational impact. The self‑regulatory PEGI system, which has labelled over 40 000 titles in 40 countries, has cut non‑compliant sales by up to 50 %, demonstrating effective consumer protection without heavy legislative burden.

Current EU financing tools—tax credits and grants—are deemed insufficient to match the incentives offered by hubs such as Canada, the United Kingdom and France. The manifesto calls for a dedicated funding framework that channels public resources toward innovative, creative projects, alongside flexible talent‑attraction visas and Horizon‑funded labour‑market mapping to close digital‑skills gaps. It also highlights the strain of 850 new obligations introduced between 2017 and 2022, amounting to more than 5 000 pages of regulation, which increase compliance costs for developers and publishers.

To solidify the sector’s contribution, a unified intellectual‑property regime and a revision of NACE classification codes are proposed, enabling accurate economic measurement. Mandatory PEGI‑based age controls, parental‑lock tools and proactive chat moderation address the 53 % of Europeans prioritising child‑friendly environments. Finally, the industry’s low‑carbon digital products and initiatives such as “Playing for the Planet” and “Green Game Jam” are presented as foundations for a climate‑responsible future, aligning gaming with

Europe’s video‑game sector has expanded by 16 % between 2019 and 2024, now delivering €24 billion in revenue and employing roughly 110 000 highly‑skilled workers. More than half of the continent’s gamers are under 20 years old, and nearly half of parents rely on the PEGI age‑rating system to ensure safe play. The industry’s dual nature—combining advanced technology with creative content—underpins a call for EU‑level measures that preserve an open, tax‑free single market, extend the Creative Europe programme, apply the General Exemption Regulation to games, and reinforce intellectual‑property protection while investing in digital‑skill education, particularly STEM pathways for girls.

The PEGI framework, supported by co‑regulation, has already classified around 40 000 titles across 40 European countries, halving non‑compliance penalties and cutting energy‑consumption violations by roughly 20 %. Nevertheless, the sector faces a regulatory load of 850 new EU obligations (over 5 000 pages of rules) introduced between 2017 and 2022. A shift toward transparent self‑regulation is advocated, emphasizing clearer in‑game purchase disclosures, stronger parental‑control tools, and EU‑wide educational programmes to close digital‑skills gaps and attract diverse talent.

Safety‑by‑design requirements now obligate all publishers to integrate PEGI‑based age classification, parental‑control portals, chat moderation, purchase limits and time‑spending caps, reflecting the predominance of minors among players. The climate‑and‑inclusion agenda shows progress: women represent 23.7 % of the video‑game workforce, surpassing the 17 % share in the broader ICT sector, and industry members are adopting gender‑equality guidelines and green initiatives such as the Green Game Jam. Coordinated self‑regulation, targeted public funding, and unified online‑safety strategies are presented as essential to sustain economic contribution, foster innovation, and position Europe as the leading hub for socially responsible game development.

The Austrian game sector is portrayed as a youthful, fast‑growing cluster of predominantly small and micro enterprises whose economic relevance has expanded dramatically over the past six years. A 2023‑2024 survey commissioned by the Austrian Professional Association of Management Consultancy, Accounting and IT and executed by the Institute of Industrial Research gathered responses from roughly 150 active developers, with detailed data supplied by 78 firms on production output and by 23 firms on serious‑game activities. The study combines firm‑level questionnaires with macro‑economic modelling to assess direct, indirect and induced effects on the national economy.

Revenue generated by domestic developers reached €92.8 million in 2023, a nominal increase of more than 285 % compared with 2017, and still represents a 180 % rise after price‑level adjustment. Employment rose from 474 jobs in 2017 to 1 080 in 2024, a 128 % increase, and the sector’s multiplier effect creates roughly 2 260 jobs across Austria. Projections that assume a slowdown to one‑third of recent growth still forecast revenues of €149 million and a workforce of over 1 500 by 2029. In the preceding three years, the surveyed firms produced 405 games, while serious‑game developers now number 20‑30 companies employing 130‑150 staff, chiefly to raise awareness of social issues such as climate change.

The workforce is highly qualified: almost 80 % hold tertiary degrees, with the 25‑34 age group dominating. Educational provision is concentrated in three regional hubs—Salzburg, Upper Austria and Carinthia—where 25 university programmes supply the bulk of IT talent. Financing remains largely internal, with self‑funding cited by 92 % of firms; public subsidies rank second but are considered insufficient, reflected in the finding that 77 % of developers rate Austria’s location policy as poor or very poor. Nonetheless, only 5 % contemplate relocation, and the majority anticipate continued employment growth over the next three years.

The Czech Gaming Developers Association compiled an annual industry overview to map the sector’s economic performance, workforce composition and structural trends for 2023 and early 2024. By aggregating self‑reported financial and employment data from member studios, the analysis aims to illustrate growth trajectories, geographic concentration and the evolving profile of talent within the Czech game development ecosystem.

Overall turnover reached €226 million in 2023, marking a 33 % increase over the previous year, while the number of active studios rose modestly, with newly established entities numbering 166 in 2023 compared with 260 in 2022. Employment expanded to roughly 4,165 staff, a 12.3 % rise, with the majority concentrated in Prague (52 %), followed by Ostrava (13 %) and Brno (20 %). The sector released 29 new titles in 2023, supplemented by 10 early‑access projects and 10 DLCs, for a total of 39 releases.

Ownership structures remain dominated by private limited companies, accounting for the bulk of legal entities, while joint‑stock and foreign‑branch configurations each represent about 5 % of the market. Job creation accelerated, with over 430 new positions announced across the year, a 20‑23 % increase relative to prior periods. The workforce is increasingly international: 34 % of employees are foreign nationals, predominantly from EU member states, while 66 % are Czech. Educational backgrounds are diverse, with roughly half holding higher‑education degrees and a similar share possessing vocational or technical qualifications. The report’s methodology relies on annual surveys administered by the association, covering all registered Czech game development firms and providing a comprehensive snapshot of the industry’s health and direction.

1. Italian Video Games Market...............................10 2. Italian Players ..................................................16 3. Italian Video Games Industry ............................23 4. Responsible Gameplay ......................................32 5. IIDEA ...............................................................38 • Total turnover of the sector.

The European games industry in 2024 is characterized by significant volatility and structural transformation, with 15% of the workforce experiencing layoffs and 10% exiting the sector entirely. This instability disproportionately affects junior professionals, nearly a third of whom have left the industry over the past year. While 44% of those who switched jobs secured career gains, a notable 24% accepted lower pay or seniority to remain employed. Job satisfaction and employee loyalty follow a U-shaped trajectory, typically bottoming out between three and five years of experience before rebounding as professionals prioritize stability and mature corporate processes.

Technological integration and workplace culture are central to current industry shifts. AI adoption has surged by 17% year-over-year, with 54% of professionals now utilizing these tools. Despite this modernization, the sector struggles with persistent systemic issues, including a gender pay gap driven by a lack of female representation in leadership and technical roles. Discrimination remains prevalent, as 32% of respondents reported personal experiences with gender-based bias and 26% cited ageism. Furthermore, a significant gap in professional development exists; 55% of workers received no formal training in the past year, forcing 65% of those seeking advancement to self-fund their education.

Operational pressures continue to impact well-being, with 28% of the workforce reporting stagnant career development and 7% working overtime almost daily. High dissatisfaction is closely linked to professional burnout, poor management, and a lack of work-life balance. However, certain segments show resilience; the outsourcing sector saw a significant rise in employee net promoter scores, and hybrid work models remain a primary driver of retention. While free-to-play studios generally offer higher compensation than premium developers, long-term stability perks and profit-sharing remain the most effective tools for maintaining a committed workforce in an increasingly precarious market.

The analysis quantifies how video‑game technology generates measurable economic benefits beyond the entertainment sector, arguing that spill‑over effects constitute a significant engine of growth for advanced‑technology economies. By applying the IMPLAN input‑output model to 2021 data, the study estimates that spill‑overs contributed roughly £1.3 billion of total output and £760 million of GDP to the United Kingdom, delivering £380 million of labour income and £250 million of government revenue while sustaining about 9,900 non‑gaming jobs. These positions are concentrated in information‑technology, business services and energy extraction, with average salaries 25 % above the national mean. In the Nordic region, comparable effects amounted to £190 million of output and £40 million of GDP, underscoring the broader relevance across Western Europe.

The research situates these figures within the wider UK games ecosystem, which comprises approximately 2,600 firms and 71,400 jobs across direct, indirect and induced employment. Spill‑over activity accounts for roughly 13 % of the industry’s gross value added and 19 % of its employment, highlighting the sector’s pivotal role in supporting ancillary markets. Sectoral case studies illustrate how real‑time engines (Unreal, Unity), VR/AR headsets and haptic devices are reshaping healthcare, oil and gas, architecture, horticulture, furniture design and automotive safety, delivering faster, lower‑cost visualisation, enhanced training and new revenue streams.

The findings extend to the United States, where about one‑fifth of software‑job growth in 2016 and $0.5 billion of software output are linked to game‑technology diffusion. Collectively, the evidence demonstrates that video‑game innovations act as a cross‑industry catalyst, generating substantial fiscal, employment and productivity gains across multiple high‑value sectors during the 2021‑2022 period.

This financial analysis details the performance of PCF Group (People Can Fly) for the first half of 2023, a period characterized by strategic expansion and significant capital raising despite a year-over-year decline in profitability. The group reported revenues of 68.7 million PLN for 1H23, down from 90.6 million PLN in 1H22. This decrease, alongside a drop in adjusted EBITDA from 29.7 million PLN to 4.0 million PLN and a net loss of 13.1 million PLN, is attributed to a high comparative base in 2022 following the termination of the Take-Two Interactive contract and the release of Green Hell VR. Current results were also impacted by increased operational scale, with the workforce growing 16% to 674 employees.

The group’s portfolio remains robust, featuring eight projects across various stages of development. Key highlights include two work-for-hire projects for Microsoft (Maverick and Gemini) and three self-published titles (Dagger, Bifrost, and Victoria) slated for 2025-2026. Project Maverick is expected to contribute significantly to financial results starting in the third quarter of 2023. Additionally, the group is expanding into the VR market with Bulletstorm VR, scheduled for release in December 2023.

A pivotal development in 1H23 was the successful completion of a secondary public offering (SPO), raising 235.3 million PLN to fund the group’s updated strategy. This process brought Krafton Inc. on as a strategic investor with a 10% stake following a 144.5 million PLN investment. The agreement grants Krafton specific rights, including right of first refusal for publishing certain upcoming titles. Geographically, the group maintains a strong international presence with studios across Europe and North America, positioning itself for long-term growth through a mix of work-for-hire and self-publishing models.

The guide argues that video games, when deliberately selected and scaffolded, can become powerful learning tools across primary, secondary and vocational settings. By positioning games along a continuum from free play to structured, teacher‑guided activities, educators can align specific game mechanics—joy, meaning, immersion, challenge and agency—with curricular objectives, thereby fostering both cognitive and affective outcomes.

Empirical evidence shows that the $180 billion global games market, with more than three billion active players (over half of Europeans aged 6‑64 and 70 % of those 6‑24), can support cooperative, discovery‑based and project‑based learning. Systematic reviews and studies such as Parker & Thomsen 2019 link core game characteristics to measurable gains in attention, memory, problem‑solving, literacy and even clinical assessment for ADHD. Narrative‑driven titles (e.g., Florence, Mutazione) are already classified as literary texts in Scotland and Poland, while language‑learning apps and exergames extend benefits to vocabulary, pronunciation and physical health. Multiplayer and emotionally charged games are shown to develop empathy, self‑regulation and ethical reasoning, with data from a Flemish suicide‑prevention project confirming social‑emotional growth.

Practical integration strategies emphasize alignment with national curricula, use of in‑game metrics for assessment, and gamification elements such as digital badges and leaderboards. Open‑world and historically themed games (Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed Discovery Tour, Age of Empires) serve as contextual nodes for interdisciplinary projects, while creation platforms—from Scratch Jr to RPG Maker—enable progressive skill development in coding, storytelling and design. The guide also highlights industry disparities (71 % male developers, low representation of women and Black creators) and urges inclusive curricula to broaden participation.

Health considerations note the WHO’s classification of gaming disorder in ICD‑11, but research indicates problematic use remains a minority, often driven by micro‑transaction models. Recommendations include reliance on PEGI age ratings and parental

The invitation seeks to generate business opportunities for Japanese video‑game, animation and related audiovisual firms by showcasing the Canary Islands as a strategic production hub. It positions the archipelago as an emerging, tax‑friendly environment, highlighting preferential rates for game development, film and animation, as well as a reduced corporate tax rate, alongside high‑quality infrastructure, skilled talent pools, and strong public support. The core thesis is that direct exposure to local studios, financing mechanisms and regulatory incentives will encourage Japanese companies to establish subsidiaries, pursue co‑production agreements, or outsource projects to Canary Island partners.

The mission is scheduled for 9 – 15 October, with participants traveling from Japan to Tenerife on 9 October and returning after the final day on 15 October. The itinerary includes briefings on the regional industry and tax regime, visits to multiple development studios such as Drakhar, Foxter, The Game Kitchen, Promineo and No Brake Games, a tour of a super‑computer facility, and attendance at the Canarias Game Show on Gran Canaria, featuring B2B matchmaking, conference sessions and networking dinners. All travel costs—including economy‑class round‑trip airfare, hotel accommodation, meals and intra‑island transport—are covered by the organizers, with additional support offered for group participation.

Target participants are Japanese firms contemplating legal entity formation in the Canary Islands, joint‑development projects, or outsourcing production to local studios. The program is coordinated by the Spanish Embassy’s Economic and Commercial Section in Tokyo and the Canary Islands government agency Proexca, which also serves on the regional game office. While the embassy assists with logistics, detailed tax‑incentive information is to be obtained from the Canary Islands authorities and specialist advisors. The initiative aims to deepen Japan‑Spain investment ties within the audiovisual sector by converting the exploratory visit into concrete commercial collaborations.

By European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) Supported by Video Games Europe European Video Games Industry Data 5 Number of game developer studios 7 Number of people working in the video games industry 8 Percentage of women working in the industry 9 Main European game dev hubs by the number of employees ...

The strategy overview presents PCF Group S.A. as a leading Polish producer of AAA‑level shooter games built on Unreal Engine, emphasizing its extensive experience, proprietary technology, and international development network. It positions the company as a high‑profile creator of original and co‑produced titles that have repeatedly appeared on the cover of the prestigious “Game Informer” magazine, citing notable releases such as Gears of War series, Bulletstorm, and collaborations with Epic Games on Fortnite.

Financial highlights indicate that cumulative revenue reached 608 million złoty between 2018 and 2022, representing a 4.9‑fold increase and a 2.4‑fold rise in EBITDA to 185 million złoty. The firm projects a similar revenue multiplier for 2023‑2027, driven primarily by a self‑publishing model and the launch of four core AAA projects and three supplementary titles, including two VR offerings slated for 2025‑2026. Shareholder structure after the IPO shows a diversified ownership with significant ESOP participation, and the capital plan anticipates issuing up to 5.85 million new shares.

Operationally, the group employs more than 600 specialists across two continents, organized into matrix‑based centers of excellence that support simultaneous development of multiple projects. The PCF Framework, an Unreal Engine add‑on, accelerates production pipelines and standardizes agile practices across seven development studios located in Warsaw, Newcastle, Montreal, Katowice, Rzeszów, New York, and Kraków. Recent acquisitions have expanded the portfolio with new IPs such as Gemini, Dagger, Bifrost, and Victoria, now in pre‑production.

Strategic goals focus on scaling the self‑publishing business, introducing “games‑as‑a‑service” monetization with micro‑transactions and seasonal passes, and strengthening the company’s position as an independent AAA publisher. The plan anticipates a workforce of over 1 200 employees by 2027, supported by incentive programs for shareholders and a robust cash flow structure designed to fund continued growth without external dilution.