Video Games Europe

Association

29 documents

Documents

In-Game Spending: Parents' Supervision of In-Game Spending 2023

The research investigates how parents supervise and manage their children’s in‑game purchases, tracking trends across five European markets—United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy—over four survey waves (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023). Each wave surveyed adult parents or guardians of children who play video games, with sample sizes ranging from 962 in 2018 to 2,808 in 2023, providing a broad cross‑section of the region’s gaming households. Findings show that three‑quarters of parents consistently report that their children do not spend on in‑game extras, a proportion that has remained stable since 2020. Among the minority who do spend, the average monthly outlay rose from €33 in 2020 to €39 in 2023, reflecting a €6 increase that aligns with inflation. Most spending (64 %) falls within the €1‑20 range, with the most popular items being gameplay‑impacting content (34 %) and decorative or cosmetic items (just under one third). Loot boxes and other unknown‑reward items remain relatively unpopular. Parental oversight is high: nine‑in‑ten parents of spending children have some form of agreement, half of which are explicit—either seeking permission (38 %) or setting limits (23 %). Preferred monitoring tools include credit‑card bill checks, parental‑control settings, and two‑factor authentication, though 44 % of parents who avoid controls deem them unnecessary and 32 % find them difficult to activate. Awareness of in‑game currency and loot boxes among all players (ages 11‑64) is also limited, with only 9 % having purchased in‑game currency and 4 % having bought loot boxes. The study’s methodology relies on standardized questionnaires administered to representative adult panels in each country, ensuring comparability within each survey year while noting that cross‑year comparisons are constrained by methodological changes.

monetization player-behavior market-analysis+1

Video Games EuropeJan 2023

Legal

Video Games Europe: Position on the Green Transition Consumer Directive

The text articulates Video Games Europe’s response to the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive that would empower consumers in the green transition, emphasizing the sector’s commitment to sustainability while seeking regulatory clarity. It welcomes the incorporation of the EU 2019/771 definition of “durability,” noting that reference to “normal use” safeguards producers from liability for piracy‑related damage and that the two‑year commercial guarantee benchmark offers a balanced baseline for both consumers and manufacturers. The commentary raises concerns about the proposal’s vague treatment of “environmental or social impact,” urging the removal of “social impact” and the adoption of flexible, science‑based assessment methods rather than mandating a single methodology such as the PEF. It supports mandatory consumer information on software updates that affect digital features but warns against blanket bans on updates that reduce functionality, arguing that such restrictions could impede legitimate service termination, increase energy consumption, and expose producers to disproportionate liability. Regarding the Consumer Rights Directive, the text objects to the requirement that durability‑guarantee information be displayed “directly before the consumer places his order,” suggesting a pre‑contract disclosure on the product details page to avoid distracting consumers from other essential rights. The sectoral scope covers the EU video‑games ecosystem, including consoles, PC, mobile and tablet platforms, and reflects data from 2020: €23.3 billion in revenue, a 22 % growth rate, 90 000 employees, and roughly 250 million players (51 % of the European population, with 54 % regularly using consoles). The position paper, dated January 2023, draws on the industry‑led Playing for the Planet Alliance (2019) and aims to shape forthcoming EU legislation.

regulation europe market-analysis

Video Games EuropeJan 2023

Legal

European Commission Study About Business-to-Consumer Contractual Arrangements in the Data Economy

The statement submitted by Video Games Europe and the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) seeks to clarify the interpretation of “data contracts” within the European Commission’s study on Business‑to‑Consumer (B2C) contractual arrangements in the data economy. It argues that the survey’s definition of data contracts—where consumers provide personal data in exchange for digital content or services, with or without payment—fails to reflect the Digital Content Directive’s narrower scope, which excludes personal data processed solely for the performance of the contract or legal compliance. Consequently, routine data processing required to deliver video‑game content, such as technical device information and account registration details, should not be treated as a separate means of access or a distinct contractual element. The response highlights that most data‑processing activities in video games are performed on the basis of contractual necessity, legal obligations, or legitimate interests rather than consumer consent, rendering questions about consent withdrawal largely irrelevant. It stresses that treating essential processing as a “data contract” could distort market analysis and policy formulation. The statement also provides a snapshot of the European video‑games sector: roughly 5,000 developer studios and publishers, employing about 98,000 people, generating €23.3 billion in 2021, and representing the third‑largest global market for video games. By situating its concerns within the broader regulatory framework, the statement calls for the survey to adopt the Digital Content Directive’s definition and to distinguish between data required for service delivery and data exchanged as a commercial consideration. This clarification aims to ensure that any forthcoming policy measures accurately reflect the realities of the European video‑games ecosystem.

regulation europe player-behavior+1

Video Games EuropeJan 2023

Report

European Key Facts 2023

This analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the European video game sector in 2023, detailing market health, player demographics, and regulatory priorities. The industry demonstrated resilience with annual revenues reaching €25.7 billion, representing a 5% year-on-year increase. Employment also saw significant growth, with the workforce expanding by nearly 7% to reach approximately 115,000 people across Europe. The data reveals that video games are a mainstream cultural fixture, with 53% of the European population aged 6–64 identifying as players. Contrary to youth-centric stereotypes, the average player age is 31.4 years, and 75% of the gaming population are adults. Women represent 43.5% of the total player base, averaging 6.7 hours of play per week. While smartphones remain the most popular platform (68%), consoles (56%) and PCs (46%) maintain significant engagement. Despite the rise of digital media, average weekly playtime has remained stable for over a decade at approximately 8.9 hours. A central thesis of the findings is the industry’s commitment to social responsibility and self-regulation. The Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system celebrated 20 years of operation, with 79% of parents aware of its ratings and 62% actively using parental tools to manage gameplay. Furthermore, the industry is increasingly focused on sustainability and diversity, noting that 44% of new hires in regions like Sweden are women and highlighting energy-saving agreements that have saved 54 TWh of electricity over the lifetime of major consoles. The geographic scope covers the European Union and broader European markets, utilizing data from Ipsos, GameTrack, and Games Sales Data (GSD). Methodology includes online polling of 60,000 individuals across major markets, calibrated by nationally representative face-to-face surveys. Looking forward, the industry advocates for EU policy that recognizes video games as unique creative works, supports a robust talent pipeline through STEAM education, and maintains a fair regulatory framework that avoids distorting the single market.

market-analysis player-demographics employment+1

Video Games EuropeJan 2023

Legal

Trialogue Negotiations on the Proposal for an e-Privacy Regulation: Key Considerations from the Video Games Industry

Video Games Europe, representing 17 major publishers and national trade associations across 15 European countries, urges trialogue negotiators to craft an e‑Privacy Regulation that aligns with GDPR consistency while preserving the sector’s capacity to innovate and protect users. The industry, valued at €23 billion in consumer spend in 2020 and growing 22 percent year‑on‑year, comprises roughly 5,100 developer studios and publishers with combined annual turnover of €12 billion and a workforce of about 90 000 employees. Key positions stress that in‑game communications, particularly chat rooms open to all players, must remain outside the definition of an interpersonal communication service, as clarified in Recital 11aa, to enable monitoring for cheating, hate speech, bullying, grooming and child sexual abuse. Requiring consent for such monitoring would be ineffective, especially for under‑age users, and could impede investigations. The industry also seeks broad adoption of the Council’s provisions in Article 8, allowing processing of terminal equipment information for performance optimisation, audience measurement, security, fraud prevention and software updates without individual consent, thereby avoiding consent fatigue and cumbersome parental authorisation. Video Games Europe opposes the introduction of mandatory privacy‑setting requirements in Article 10, arguing that they would stifle competition, concentrate power among a few software providers, and impose costly technical burdens on consoles. Finally, the association calls for Article 11 to be aligned with GDPR Article 23, expanding public‑interest exemptions to include protection of data subjects, enforcement of civil claims and IP enforcement, ensuring law‑enforcement access while safeguarding fundamental rights.

marketing europe regulation+1

Video Games EuropeJan 2021