The UK Games Industry Had Its Biggest Year Since 2020 Last Year

UK games revenue rose 7.4%

by Ben Kerry Yesterday, 1:15pm

The UK Games Industry Had Its Biggest Year Since 2020 Last Year

GamesIndustry.Biz has shared some news from the folks over at the Entertainment Retailers Association that suggests 2025 was a pretty big year for gaming in the UK.

The ERA gathered data from multiple sources to show that UK customers spent £5.4 billion on gaming in 2025, which is up 7.4% on the year before. "This is the largest rise that video games have seen in the UK since 2020", the site adds, where revenues shot up massively in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the "key driver" behind this bump is said to be mobile gaming, console is also on the up. Console game downloads increased 11.5% from 2024 to 2025, with physical sales dipping by just 1%. The site goes on to mention that "boxed sales represent just 5% of total UK games revenue for 2025".

The best-selling game across Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Switch in the UK for 2025 was EA Sports FC 26; with the massive footie game shifting almost two million units in the region. The ERA closed out by reiterating that after years of slowdown post-COVID, the market "returned to form in grand style in 2025", and that it has "strong hopes that it will maintain this momentum into 2026".

With the likes of GTA 6 and a huge 12 months for Microsoft & Xbox on the cards, it's looking like this year could be a big one for gaming - not only in the UK, but worldwide as well.

Happy to see a bit of positive news coming out of the UK for once? Talk to us about the industry at large down below.

[source gamesindustry.biz]

Ben is a News Writer at Pure Xbox, and is a fan of action, racing and straight-up shootin' in any Xbox game he can get his hands on. When he's not clutching an Xbox controller like his life depends on it, Ben spends his time listening to music that's far too old for him, watching football on the telly and probably eating somewhere.

1
Balaam_
Yesterday, 1:21pm

Can we get a piece combining the data mentioned in this article with the cratering console sales from the other article and how it all interrelates? One downplays the relevance of console sales and one highlights the largest revenue rise in years and includes consoles in that metric.

2
FraserG
Yesterday, 1:41pm

@Balaam_ This specific report is all about game sales rather than actual hardware. Console downloads have increased by 11%, physical has dipped by 1%.

The other one was purely about sales of actual Series X and S consoles (down 39%):

https://www.purexbox.com/news/2026/01/xbox-console-sales-the-worst-on-record-in-2025-as-microsoft-shifts-focus-uk

3
Fiendish-Beaver
Yesterday, 2pm

With the likes of GTA 6 and a huge 12 months for Microsoft & Xbox on the cards, it's looking like next year could be a big one for gaming - not only in the UK, but worldwide as well.

Next year, @Kezelpaso? Or this year? Or do you also think that GTA 6 will be delayed into 2027...? 🤔

4
Kezelpaso
Yesterday, 2:45pm

@Fiendish-Beaver Corrected to this year, sorry, still in 2025 mode!

5
themightyant
Yesterday, 2:45pm

@Balaam_ We're entering year 6 of these consoles, unit sales are expected to be down for both Xbox and Sony, and they are, but for Xbox it's was a massive decline on top of already large declines year on year on year - as we discussed on that post.

But for Sony they are still shifting a LOT of units, 18.5 million in the last financial year, so a drop isn't that relevant. Sadly the reality is it's only really Xbox that is struggling with console sales.

As for general gaming revenue, it's great that it's up by a record amount in the UK since 2020 but without more information it's difficult to know what is the cause of this, Robux? Fornite skins? or spending on new games.

6
Sakai
Yesterday, 3:48pm

@themightyant "The key driver behind 2025's growth was an 8.8% increase in revenue from mobile titles, which brought in £1.88 billion for the period, building on a 5.5% rise between 2023 and 2024. Mobile revenue was behind 35.5% of the total for games last year."

That is what the article states

7
Fiendish-Beaver
Yesterday, 4:07pm

I think the increase in game sales is entirely down to me, @themightyant. I just cannot help myself. Ask my bank manager... 🤣

8
themightyant
Yesterday, 4:29pm

@Sakai Yes, but perhaps I wasn't clear, we don't WHAT that is being spent on within those segments i.e was that increased mobile spending on Robux, Fortnite skins, Genshin Primogems etc. or new games. Similar with console.

@Fiendish-Beaver I actually spent a LOT less last year as I decided to concentrate on the hundreds of games I've bought and not played! (My bank manager had a word in previous years!)

9
bert0503
Yesterday, 4:41pm

There definitely have been some great games this year.

10
Fiendish-Beaver
Yesterday, 8:19pm

Perhaps you could pass my details to your Bank Manager, @themightyant. Someone needs to have a stern word with me... 🤣

Show Comments

Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...