PC Accounts Only For 14% of the Market in Europe; FIFA 21 in the Lead

ISFE and EGDF federations published a joint report summarizing the situation of the European game industry in 2020. We found out, among others, that the best-selling game on the Old Continent was FIFA 21.

The year 2020 was a unique period - for some it meant financial collapse, while other products enjoyed outstanding popularity during this time. Thanks to the pandemic, the video game industry in Europe did much better than usual - according to the latest report by ISFE (Interactive Software Federation of Europe) and EDGF (European Games Developer Federation), in 2020, users living in the Old Continent spent 22% more money on games than in 2019. Revenues amounted to 23 billion euros. Console games are responsible for 44% of this amount, mobile games for 40%, and PC products only for 14%. At the far end are on-demand services and streaming, which generated only 2%.

When it comes to revenue sources regardless of platform, 40% came from digital purchases of games and DLC, and another 40% from mobile apps. The remaining 20% was generated by sales of physical copies of games. The digital market increased revenues from 11 billion euros in 2019 to 14 billion euros in 2020 - with full versions of games accounting for only 25% of that total. 64% is revenue from the sale of various game DLCs, and 11% comes from subscriptions and social gaming.

Equally interesting is the list of the biggest bestsellers of 2020 in Europe. In first place was taken by FIFA 21. The game was followed by the immortal GTA V, and the last position on the podium was taken by another FIFA - the 20-th installment. Further places were taken by Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Red Dead Redemption 2.

We also learn from the report that the average age of an European gamer is around 31. The European game industry employs 86,953 people, 20% of which are women. However, when it comes to the audience, 47% of people enjoying digital entertainment are female and 53% male. The average number of hours spent on gaming per week is 9.5.

Other data can be found here.

The game industry, probably as one of the few, did very well in times of pandemic. However, this year the situation began to normalize and we probably won't see such rapid growths anymore.