UK games spending hits £5.4bn in 2025 as mobile powers strongest growth since 2020
| Date | Type | Companies Involved | Key Datapoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 7, 2026 | report | Mobile games generated £1.88bn |
- Mobile games accounted for more than a third (35.5%) of total UK games revenue in 2025.
- Games remain the only major entertainment sector still driven primarily by ownership, with 45% of revenue coming from purchases.
- Total UK entertainment spending across games, music, and video reached £13.3 billion ($18bn) in 2025.
UK consumer spending on video games reached £5.4 billion ($7.3bn) in 2025 to mark a 7.4% year-on-year increase.
That's according to data from the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), which showed that it is the strongest rise in the UK games market since 2020, when revenue jumped 27.9%.
Mobile games were the main driver of UK market growth in 2025, with revenue rising 8.8% Y/Y to £1.88bn ($2.5bn), following a 5.5% increase the previous year.
Moreover, mobile titles accounted for 35.5% of total UK games revenue during the period.
Growth outlook
ERA listed games as the only major entertainment medium still significantly driven by ownership, with 45% of revenue coming from game purchases rather than subscriptions. This compares with 16.6% for music and just 7.2% for video.
Overall, UK entertainment spending across games, music, and video reached £13.3bn ($18bn) in 2025, marking a 7.1% Y/Y increase.
The association also noted that while the UK’s GDP grew by 12% between 2016 and 2025, games revenue surged 86% over the same period, growing 7.2 times faster than the wider economy.
“Growth in the games market slowed considerably after the incredible 27.9% gains seen in the pandemic year of 2020, but continuing innovation saw it return to form in grand style in 2025," said ERA CEO Kim Bayley. "We have strong hopes that it will maintain this momentum into 2026.”
You can access the full report here.
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