By Ulises Gil, journalist at G&M News.
The United Kingdom’s video game industry posted a significant rebound in 2025, driven primarily by strong consumer demand for mobile and digital games. According to data compiled by the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), total UK games revenue reached £5.4 billion (USD 7.3 billion) in 2025, up 7.4% compared to 2024, the most substantial annual increase since the pandemic-era spike in 2020.
Mobile gaming was a central pillar of this growth, generating £1.88 billion, an 8.8% year-on-year increase and accounting for more than one-third of the total market. The strong performance of mobile titles reflects ongoing consumer preference for accessible, on-the-go entertainment and continued investment in mobile game innovation.
Console games also contributed to the market’s expansion. Digital console game downloads rose to approximately £857.6 million, up 11.5% on 2024, while physical console game sales fell slightly, representing just about 5% of overall market revenue. This trend highlights the ongoing shift toward digital distribution and download models in the UK gaming ecosystem.
Overall digital game sales -including downloads and in-app purchases- accounted for £5 billion of industry revenue, up 8% year-on-year, further underscoring the dominance of digital consumption in the sector.
The broader entertainment market -combining video games, music and video- reached £13.3 billion in revenue, a 7.1% increase from 2024, with the games segment contributing a significant portion of that growth. This performance also outpaced the broader UK economy, where GDP growth was around 1.5% in the same period, illustrating how entertainment and gaming continue to thrive in a competitive consumer landscape.
Top individual titles further reflected consumer engagement, with EA Sports FC 26 emerging as one of the best-selling games in the UK, moving close to 2 million units across physical and digital formats during the year.
Looking ahead to 2026, industry analysts and ERA executives remain optimistic that the positive trajectory will continue, driven by ongoing digital innovation, live-service content and sustained interest in mobile gaming. The UK video gaming market’s ability to adapt and grow in a rapidly evolving entertainment landscape positions it well for continued expansion in the year to come.