The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

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Mobile
Matters
Commissioned by King June 2026
The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Mobile games are now the most accessible and most common way
people experience video games. They give people more choice in
how, when and where they play, and have become part of everyday
life across Europe.
The mobile games industry is a diverse and entrepreneurial ecosystem
of businesses across Europe, from major publishers and developers to
smaller independent studios. It is a European success story with
global reach. Europe played an important role in the development of
mobile games and today, the sector contributes significant economic
value, supports thousands of skilled jobs, and connects European
creativity and entrepreneurship with global markets.
But the impact of mobile games, and video games more broadly,
goes beyond economics alone. They are built through a combination
of creative and technical skill, and can nurture creativity and build
digital confidence. That broader contribution is part of what makes
the sector important not only to Europe’s economy, but to its cultural
and social fabric too.
At King, we are proud to be part of this story. Mobile is our home,
and for more than two decades we have built long-term relationships
with players. We know that trust matters, and we recognise that a
successful mobile games sector must also be a responsible one,
where positive player experiences and player safety sit alongside
growth and innovation.
Europe’s strength and heritage in mobile games should not
be taken for granted. The global market is moving quickly, with
countries including China and Turkey are building highly competitive
and technology-driven mobile games ecosystems and competing
for talent, investment and audiences. If Europe wants to maintain
its position as a hub for creative and digital businesses, it needs
to support the industry’s ability to invest, innovate and grow.
For hundreds of millions of
players across Europe,
enjoying video games does
not start on a console or a PC.
It starts on a mobile phone.

This report comes at an important moment. As policymakers consider
the future framework for digital regulation in Europe, there is an
opportunity to support one of the region’s most dynamic creative
and digital sectors at a time of intensifying global competition and
rising development costs.
Regulation has an essential role to play in protecting players,
and it should reflect the context in which mobile games operate and
how players choose to interact with them, alongside the concerns
policymakers may have. Getting that balance right will help ensure
Europe remains an attractive environment for investment, creativity
and technological innovation.
This report is intended to help inform the conversation. It reflects on
the rise of mobile games in Europe, examines how the industry works
today, and explores the contribution mobile games make across
the region. If Europe is to remain competitive on the world stage,
policymakers will need a clear understanding not only of the value
the sector already creates, but also of the conditions that enable the
mobile gaming ecosystem to continue to grow, innovate and reach
global audiences from Europe.
Todd Green
President
Foreword
2
Foreword Executive Summary
Understanding Mobile Games Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution ConclusionMethodology
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

At the heart of this report is a new economic impact assessment
which presents a picture of the mobile games industry in Europe,
its place in the global market, the economic contribution it makes,
and the role it plays in supporting Europe’s digital competitiveness.
The research also draws on existing analysis of the video games
and mobile games sectors worldwide, alongside new quantitative
data exploring the next generation of talent’s perceptions of
working in the sector.
Looking at both the global market and Europe’s own market
helps illustrate how mobile games have grown, how the sector
works today, and the wider technological, societal and cultural
benefits mobile games can bring to the region.
Mobile games have grown from a relatively small segment of
the global video games industry into a dominant force in the
market. They have also become significantly more competitive
and concentrated over time, with rising development costs and
increasing competition for player attention. While Europe remains
an important centre for mobile games, sustaining that position will
depend on continued innovation, investment and creative growth.
Understanding the role mobile games play in Europe today is
therefore important not only for the future of the sector itself,
but for Europe’s wider creative and digital economy.
Executive Summary:
Mobile Games in Europe
in economic value
contributed to the
European economy
by mobile games
companies in 2025.
4
€5.89bn
75%
of video game players
in Europe are adults.
6
1,000+
dedicated mobile games
companies operating
across Europe.
of people living in Europe
played on smartphones or
tablets in 2025.
5
31 years old is

the average age
of a video game
player in Europe.
3
€7.53bn
in revenue generated by European
mobile games companies in 2025
from markets around the world.
1
60,000+
jobs are supported by the sector across Europe.
31
61%
Mobile games
account for
over half (55%)
of global games
revenue.
2 55%
Mobile gaming
accounts for over
half (55%) of
global games
revenue
Young people
who play mobile
games at least
once a week are
more likely to feel
confident solving
technical issues.
1. For European Single Market countries only, the equivalent revenue figure stands at €5.74 billion in 2025.
2. Newzoo’s Global Games Market Report 2025.
3. Video Games Europe Key Facts Report 2024.
4. For European Single Market countries only, the equivalent GVA figure stands at €5.20 billion in 2025.
5. ESA Power of Play 2025 Global Video Games Report.
6. Video Games Europe Key Facts Report 2024.
Foreword Executive Summary
Understanding Mobile Games Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution ConclusionMethodology
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Methodology
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Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Understanding
Mobile Games
Foreword Executive Summary
Understanding Mobile Games Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution ConclusionMethodology
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Methodology
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Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

In fact, this means 61% played on smartphones
or tablets, by share of monthly active users.
8
Mobile games, particularly free-to-play mobile
games, have democratised access to games as
an entertainment medium, given the widespread
use of smartphones and tablets. This has
expanded who plays games, with the average
European video game player now being 31
years old.
9 What people play is evolving too,
with strategy and puzzle games now two of the
three fastest-growing mobile game genres in
terms of time spent playing.
10
The ubiquity of mobile games, and free-to-play’s
role in making content accessible to a wide
audience, has been central to the sector’s growth,
both around the world and in Europe, giving
consumers more choice in how, when and
where they play.
Mobile Games in Europe Today
in revenue was generated by
European mobile games companies
from global audiences in 2025.
13
€7.53bn
Mobile games have grown from a
relatively small segment of the global
video games industry into a dominant
force in the market.
In 2025, the global video games
industry generated €167.26 billion
in revenue. Mobile games accounted
for over half of that total at €91.25
billion, ten times the revenue generated
by the sector in 2012.
11 In terms of
global economic value today, video
games generate more revenue than
music, radio and audio streaming,
and cinema box office combined.
12
Mobile is now the most common way people experience games,
enjoyed by more than 300 million players across Europe in 2025.
7
Mobile Console PC
€167.26bn
€91.25bn
+2.9% YoY
+3.4% YoY
€35.35bn
+2.5% YoY
€40.66bn
+5.5% YoY
55%
21%
24%
Source: Newzoo’s Global Games Market Report 2025
Global Revenue By Platform (2025)
30,000+
people are employed by European mobile games companies
14
7. Newzoo’s Global Games Market Report 2025.
8. ESA Power of Play 2025 Global Video Games Report.
9. Video Games Europe Key Facts Report 2024.
10. Sensor Tower State of Gaming Report 2026.
11. PocketGamer.biz.
12. King internal report September 2024.
13. For European Single Market countries only, the equivalent revenue figure stands at €5.74 billion in 2025.
14. The equivalent data for the European Single Market is 21,000+ people employed.
5
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Economic Contribution Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

To this day, games made in Europe are played by hundreds of millions
of players around the world.
One of the earliest recognisable milestones came in 1998, when
Nokia’s Snake introduced the public to video games on mobile
devices. The modern mobile games industry began to take shape
around 2008, with the arrival of the iPhone and the App Store,
which made it easier for players to discover and download games
designed for touchscreen play.
By 2012, as the sector underwent sustained growth, four of the
world’s top 10 grossing mobile games companies were based
in Europe. European developers and publishers were able to
build on that early momentum, with Europe-born titles becoming
emblematic of mobile games and helping to establish the
sector’s global profile. Finland was home to two of its most internationally successful hits:

the early breakout cultural phenomenon, Rovio’s Angry Birds and
Supercell’s defining free-to-play strategy game Clash of Clans.
Ustwo’s Monument Valley, from the UK, demonstrated that
mobile games could stand out for artistic ambition and distinctive
design, while King’s own Candy Crush Saga, originating in Sweden,
became one of the defining examples of casual mobile games.
Europe’s Role in the Rise of Mobile Games
Europe has played a fundamental role in the rise of mobile games and
remains one of the industry’s most important centres of creativity and innovation.
Entrepreneurship remains an important part of
Europe’s mobile games story.
Toppluva, a three-person studio founded by three
Swedish brothers, found global acclaim with its
award-winning Grand Mountain Adventure series.
Since launching in 2022, the series has been played
by more than 30 million players, showing how smaller
studios can achieve international success through
mobile-first innovation, distinctive design and strong
player experiences.
30 million+
players
Europe produced many of the titles
that helped define mobile games
as a global category.
Entrepreneurial success in
Europe’s mobile games industry
6
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Economic Contribution Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
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Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

This has helped broaden consumer choice and
make games available to a much wider audience.
The free-to-play model allows players to download
and play a game with no upfront cost, and the vast
majority of players play without spending any
money. Revenue is generated through optional
purchases of in-game content and, often, in-game
advertising. These can take different forms,
including consumables such as in-game currencies,
extra lives and boosters or enhancements including
advert removal options, cosmetic content or ‘skins’.
This model gives players greater flexibility over
whether, when and how they spend. The fact that
97% of European mobile gamers play free-to-play
games, representing over 320 million people in
Europe,
16 is part of what has made the format so
popular. But for companies to continue offering
games in this way, the model still needs to be
commercially sustainable.
Developers need to keep investing in the design,
development and long-term operation of their games, even where players can play for free.
Mobile games are not simply launched and left
unchanged; they are updated, maintained and
refined over time to support player experiences
and long-term engagement.
Distribution is also a central part of the operating
model, shaping how games are discovered,
downloaded and sustained in an increasingly
crowded global market. As a result, attracting
and retaining players is a major area of
investment for the industry. Across Europe,
publishers spend 41% of annual expenditure on
player acquisition and retention, reflecting both the
intensity of competition within mobile games, and
wider competition for audiences across digital
entertainment.
These market dynamics are important when
considering the impact of additional regulatory
burden. For many businesses, especially smaller
ones, the challenge is not simply growth, but
managing the rising cost of operating and
sustaining games over time. Global market trends reflect this increasing
maturity. While annual downloads have
declined in recent years, revenue for digital
content has continued to grow.
17 This points to
a more concentrated and competitive market,
where players are choosing to play fewer games,
and where success depends increasingly on
long-term operation, regular content updates
and ongoing player engagement, rather than
purely acquiring new users.
Mobile games have widened access to play and
given consumers more choice in how, when and
where they engage. But they should also be
understood as a distinct and evolving part of the
wider games industry, shaped by free-to-play
models, long-term live operations and intense
global competition. Sustaining these experiences,
and the studios that support them, requires
ongoing investment in technology, content
and player support over time.
How the Mobile Games Sector Works
More than their PC or console counterparts, mobile games are most often enjoyed as free-to-play
experiences, with more than 97% of mobile games downloads worldwide being free-to-play.
15
15. Singular.com.
16. Sensor Tower data F2P vs. premium MAU share in Europe for 2026, applied to Newzoo player estimates.
17. Sensor Tower – The State of Mobile Games Report 2026.
Consumable content:
In-game currencies Extra livesBoosters
Enhancements:
Cosmetics & skins Advert removal
options
Examples of optional purchases in
free-to-play games
7
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Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Mobile Games’
Economic Contribution
to Europe
Foreword Executive Summary
Understanding Mobile Games Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution ConclusionMethodology
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Methodology
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Social, Cultural and Technological Impact Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

A new economic assessment commissioned by King estimates that
Europe’s mobile games studios contributed an estimated €5.89 billion
in total Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2025 and supported 63,340
full-time equivalent jobs. Conducted by Nordicity, an international
research and consulting firm specialising in creative and digital
industries, the study found that the equivalent figures for the European
Single Market stand at €5.20 billion in total (GVA) and 50,330 jobs.
The growth outlook is also important. By 2028, total GVA generated
by Europe’s mobile games studios is forecast to rise to €6.17 billion,
an increase of 4.8%, showing the potential to continue growing as
part of Europe’s wider digital economy.
A Meaningful Economic Force in Europe
Europe’s mobile games sector is a significant source of economic value,
skilled employment and export revenue.
“ Mobile games are a real strength in
Europe’s games sector. Through free-to-play
and mobile-first design, the sector has
expanded consumer choice, democratising
access to games and building experiences
that reach audiences around the world.”
— Simon Little, CEO, Video Games Europe €5.89bn
in total GVA was contributed to the European
economy by Europe’s mobile games studios in 2025.
18
63,340
full-time equivalent jobs supported.
€6.17bn
in total GVA is forecast to be generated by
Europe’s mobile games studios by 2028,
an increase of 4.8%.
19
The economic impact
of European mobile
games studios
About the Research
Nordicity’s analysis covered 32 European jurisdictions and more than 1,000
dedicated mobile games studios and excludes studios which may include
mobile as part of a broader industry platform focus. Economic impact was
measured through GVA and employment, including direct, indirect and
induced effects. The modelling was based on expenditure and in-country
spending, i.e. extending through their supply chains and the resulting
spending of wages across the economy, rather than operating profit.
Taken together, this provides a conservative view of the mobile sector’s
economic footprint.
18. €5.20bn in total GVA was contributed to the European Single Market by mobile games studios in 2025, supporting 50,330 jobs.
19. €5.45bn in total GVA is forecast to be generated by mobile games studios in Europe’s Single Market by 2028, an increase of 4.8%.
9
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Executive Summary
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Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

In 2025, European mobile games studios
generated around €7.53 billion in revenue
20
from global audiences.
21 That figure is forecast
to rise to over €8 billion by 2028,
22 equivalent
to a 2.2% compound annual growth rate.
23
The mobile games industry is not only commercially
significant in Europe, but also globally connected
and export-led. Games made and operated
in Europe reach hundreds of millions of players
around the world, generating international revenue
and reinforcing Europe’s position in a highly
competitive global sector.
That strength is visible across the continent. Revenue
is concentrated in established hubs such as Finland,
Ireland, Sweden, Spain and the UK, where major
developers and publishers maintain corporate
offices and development studios. These are some
of the places where Europe’s mobile games industry
is most established and internationally competitive. But the sector is not defined by those hubs alone.
When revenue is viewed relative to a country’s
broader market activity and purchasing power,
an additional perspective emerges. Countries such
as Cyprus,
24 Serbia and Ukraine perform more
strongly than their wider economic standing might
suggest, showing that mobile games can also be
a source of entrepreneurial and creative strength
in places policymakers and stakeholders may not
immediately expect.
This points to an industry that combines global
commercial reach with a broad base of regional
innovation. Europe’s mobile games sector is
anchored by major hubs, but it also contains
emerging pockets of strength that reflect the
ambition and entrepreneurial energy of the
wider ecosystem.
Global Reach and Regional Strength
Europe is not just a market where mobile games are played.
It is also a creator economy with global reach.
Revenue Share by Country
722m
Spain revenue
in 2025
€868m
Ireland revenue
in 2025
€895m
UK revenue
in 2025
€630m
Sweden revenue
in 2025
€1.4bn
Finland revenue
in 2025
Smaller
Share Greater

Share
20 For European Single Market countries only, the equivalent revenue figure stands at €5.74 billion in 2025.
21., 22. Based on custom data export from Sensor Tower; range Jan. 1st 2025 to December 31st 2025; EU Attributable Publishers.
23. Revenue generated by European mobile games publishers within the European Single Market is expected to grow by a CAGR of 2.2%
over the next three years to reach €6.13 billion by 2028.
24 Data pertaining to Cyprus excludes publishers which are operated out of Russia or Belarus but have set their publisher locations to Cyprus.
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Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
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Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Regional Spotlight: Sweden, Spain and the UK
The economic contribution of the mobile games
industry is visible across Europe, and here we
feature three of the top five mobile games
markets by revenue, which together are home
to the majority of King’s workforce.
Each represents a different part of the wider
European mobile games story, from established
publishing and development strength to distinctive
local ecosystems and future growth potential.
Spain UK
Sweden
Spain’s strength in mobile games is driven by a
vibrant start-up culture, specialist support services,
regional policy backing and foreign direct investment.
Barcelona, home to more than 120 studios, has
quickly become one of Europe’s leading mobile
games hubs. Catalonia generates over half of
Spain’s video game revenue
25 and hosts the Mobile
World Congress, the world’s largest mobile trade
show. Together, this concentration of talent,
investment and entrepreneurship is helping
Barcelona compete internationally as a centre for
mobile games innovation. The UK remains one of Europe’s largest

and most established games industries, with a
strong base in mobile publishing and development,
supportive tax reliefs, and a wider ecosystem of
companies supporting analytics, marketing and
live operations.
Sweden stands out as a mobile games hub because

of its combination of creative and technical expertise,
collaboration between studios, talent networks,
education providers and industry bodies, and access to
global markets, reinforced by educational programmes,
industry support structures and access to investment.
“ The games industry in Sweden is one of the country’s
strongest exports. It’s a creative industry built on a
combination of technical expertise, entrepreneurship,
talent and a love for games. Mobile games are central
to that story, showing how Swedish creativity can reach
players around the world.”
— Johanna Nylander,
Acting Managing Director,
Swedish Games Industry “
Spain’s games industry is a dynamic and increasingly
mature part of Europe’s creative economy. Built on
creative talent, technical expertise and
entrepreneurship, the sector is attracting investment
and reaching audiences well beyond Spain. Mobile
games have played an important role in that growth.”
— José María Moreno,
Managing Director,
AEVI “
The UK’s games sector is a vital part of the country’s
Createch economy, bringing together creativity,
technology and innovation to create world-class
interactive entertainment. Mobile games play an
important role in that success, lowering barriers
to play and helping more people experience the
creativity, innovation and cultural value of games.”
— Nick Poole,
CEO,
Ukie
722m
Total revenue
€103.2m
Total GVA
€630m
Total revenue
€154.9m
Total GVA
2,670
Total FTEs
€108.4m (+5.1%)
2028 forecasted GVA growth
2,410
Total FTEs
€163.5m (+5.5%)
2028 forecasted GVA growth
€895m
Total revenue
€236.5m
Total GVA
5,060
Total FTEs
€257.6m (+9.1%)
2028 forecasted GVA growth
25. Catalonia Trade & Investment.
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Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
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Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Not Just Economics:
The Social, Cultural and
Technological Impact
Foreword Executive Summary
Understanding Mobile Games Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution ConclusionMethodology
12
Methodology
Conclusion Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Mobile games are often discussed in terms of
reach, popularity and accessibility. Those same
qualities also help explain why they can create
cultural and societal value. As an interactive and
widely enjoyed form of entertainment embedded in
routines across Europe, mobile games can shape
how people engage with ideas and issues that go
beyond the screen. The wider value is shaped by the creativity and
ingenuity involved in making video games. By
combining design, storytelling and advanced digital
tools, games can support new forms of innovation.
As the European Commission highlighted in its
European Media Industry Outlook report 2025,
game development drives innovation in areas such
as AI and real-time graphics, leading to cross-
sector collaboration between creative industries,
technology companies and education providers.
Video games can also help reinforce
confidence in creative and digital skills and
engage players with social and environmental
issues. They can provide a platform for originality
and entrepreneurship, all of which challenge
narrow assumptions about what mobile games
are and what they can offer.
Why Games Matter Beyond the Screen
Economic contribution is an important part of the picture,
but it is not the whole story.
The games industry has long used Machine
Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI),
27
evolving from basic rule-based systems to more
advanced techniques that continue to bring
new innovation into modern game development.
This continued innovation strengthens Europe’s
digital ecosystem and reinforces the games
industry’s role as a test bed for ideas with wider
relevance and application, as recognised in the
European Commission’s Apply AI Strategy.
Focus on Innovation
People turn to video
games not only for fun,
but also to relax, relieve
stress and keep their
minds active.
26 Mobile
games are particularly well suited
to this because they offer interactive,
flexible experiences that can fit
easily into short moments in the day.
26. ESA Power of Play 2025 Global Video Games Report.
27. Games are the driving force of the digital revolution (2021).
13
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Executive Summary
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Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

The industry depends on designers, artists,
engineers, producers and specialists in emerging
technology such as AI, working together to create
experiences for players.
This combination of creative and technical
expertise is increasingly valuable to advanced
economies. Countries including Australia,
France, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, the UK,
and the US, use visa routes to attract talent
in high-demand sectors, including games,
technology and specialist digital roles.
Developing and retaining home-grown talent is
therefore critical to ensuring that young people
can contribute to innovation, competitiveness
and long-term economic growth across Europe.
More broadly, the European Commission has
also highlighted the video games industry’s role in
developing and growing innovative technology,
28
while industry bodies have argued that games-
sector technologies often find wider applications
in areas such as education, healthcare, robotics
and automotive interfaces.
29
In a world of work shaped by rapid technological
change, this matters more than ever. Success
increasingly depends not only on knowing how
to use technology, but also on being able to
apply it creatively.
Mobile games sit at the heart of this intersection,
bringing together creative thinking, technical
problem-solving and complex digital systems.
King surveyed more than 1,500 young people
aged 16 to 21 across the UK, Spain and Sweden,
exploring how they engage with mobile games,
the skills they believe they have, and how they
view future careers in the sector.
The findings showed that mobile games are
already part of everyday life for many young
people, with almost half playing mobile games
every day and 84% playing at least once a week.
According to the results, young people who play
mobile games at least once a week are more likely
to feel confident using advanced digital tools,
solving technical issues and working with data.
30
Mobile Games, Skills and Digital Confidence
Few sectors bring together such a diverse mix of skills as clearly as vid\
eo games.
In collaboration with Junior
Achievement Europe, King has
launched game hackathons, mentoring
and workshops across its main
locations, including in Barcelona,
Spain. Over two years, the partnership
has reached more than 600 young
people across three countries, including
225 this year, with a focus on
underserved youth and widening
pathways into gaming careers. Working with the Swedish Games
Industry, King helped create a
scholarship programme for women
and non-binary people entering game
development. Scholars take part in
an eight-month bespoke programme
combining education, mentoring from
King experts, masterclasses and
access to industry events.
Opening pathways into
mobile games careers Supporting female
and non-binary talent
28. The European Media Industry Outlook, September 2025.
29. European Games Developer Federation.
30. The research was conducted through an online survey of 1,512 16-21 year olds in the UK, Sweden, and Sp\
ain (506 in the UK,
503 in Spain, 503 in Sweden). Fieldwork was conducted from 06 Feb 2026 to 19 Feb 2026.
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Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
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Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Boosting Social Impact Through Games
Green Game Jam is a powerful example. Run by the Playing for the
Planet Alliance and the UN Environment Programme, the annual
initiative brings together more than 50 games studios to embed
environmental and climate change themes into games through stories,
events, missions and shared in-game moments. It uses the reach and
creativity of games to make global issues more accessible, showing
how games can inspire participation and connect players to causes
that matter beyond the screen. One example was FarmVille 3 which encouraged players to use
“imperfect” fruits and vegetables to reduce food waste. Another
example was PUBG Mobile, which launched its ‘Play for Green’
campaign, with maps and challenges supporting real-world
conservation projects, while Hungry Shark Evolution introduced an
in-game event focused on cleaning up ocean waste.
Sea Hero Quest shows a different kind of impact. Developed with
Alzheimer’s Research UK, University College London and the University
of East Anglia, the game used navigation-based gameplay and
memory challenges to collect anonymised data on how people move
through virtual environments. By mirroring real-world spatial navigation,
it helped researchers explore how these abilities change over time and
may relate to early signs of dementia.
Sea Hero Quest turned everyday play into a large-scale research tool,
collecting data from around 4.3 million players globally, equivalent to
more than 117 years of gameplay,
31 and remains available to
researchers studying cognition and spatial navigation.
The COVID-19 pandemic further showed how games can support
public engagement at scale. Through the World Health Organization’s
#PlayApartTogether campaign, games companies helped amplify public health messaging around physical distancing, reaching millions
through platforms they already used every day. By helping people stay
connected while physically apart, games supported efforts to reduce
in-person contact and ease pressure on healthcare systems.
When many traditional social activities were unavailable, video and
mobile games offered entertainment, interaction and community.
Mobile, together with the broader video games industry, can bring the
public closer to issues that matter beyond the world of entertainment.
50+
studios working
together to build
important themes
on the environment
into games
4.3m
players worldwide
have contributed
gameplay data to
Alzheimer’s research
31. AlzheimersResearchUK.org.
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Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

What began as a relatively small segment of the
market has evolved into a globally connected industry
that reaches hundreds of millions of players, supports
skilled employment, generates substantial economic
value and contributes to Europe’s wider digital ecosystem.
Europe has played a defining role in that story. From
early milestones in mobile play to globally recognised
franchises and innovative studios, European developers
and publishers have helped shape how mobile games
are designed, distributed and experienced around the
world. Today, the sector remains a source of creativity,
entrepreneurship and technological innovation across
the region.
The report also suggests that mobile games should be
understood on their own terms. Their reach, free-to-play
models and long-term live operations have helped
broaden participation in games and create new forms
of player engagement. At the same time, the sector has
become increasingly operationally complex, with rising
development costs, intense global competition and the
growing importance of retaining long-term player
engagement through continuous content creation.
Mobile games have become one
of the most significant parts of
the global video games industry
and an increasingly important
part of Europe’s creative and
digital economy.
Alongside their economic contribution, mobile games
also contribute more broadly to Europe’s cultural and
technological landscape. They continue to bring together
creative and technical disciplines, support digital
confidence and experimentation, as well as increasing
the intersection with areas such as AI and wider digital
innovation.
Taken together, these findings point to a clear conclusion:
mobile games are not just a successful entertainment
category, but part of a broader European ecosystem
of creativity, technology and digital competitiveness.
As the global market continues to evolve, Europe’s ability
to remain a leading centre for mobile games will depend
on its continued capacity for innovation, investment,
entrepreneurship and creative growth. Conclusion:
Why Mobile Games
Matter to Europe
16
Methodology Conclusion
Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Methodology
This report broadly defines ‘Europe’ as a
geographic entity, rather than a political one.
As such, the report defaults to a concept of Europe
that includes jurisdictions like the United Kingdom
and omits jurisdictions like Russia and Turkey.
Specific to economic impact modelling,
European jurisdictions were included based
on data available from Sensor Tower, a mobile-
specialised market intelligence platform from
which Nordicity sourced key data points.
Accordingly, base European
modelling includes:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Ukraine, United Kingdom Nordicity also provided modelling for the European
Single Market, which includes countries that are
officially recognised by the European Union to be
part of the single market agreement.
European Single Market modelling includes:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland
For the purposes of this report, mobile games are
understood to be video game-style experiences
designed to be played on mobile devices and
smartphones. It does not include games where
players can ‘cash out’ (such as gambling platforms
or casino games) and focuses on games available
on iOS and Android via their respective app stores
(which together account for the vast majority of
mobile game distribution).
Defining Mobile Games Defining European Markets
Some analysis, where indicated,
removes data related to the United Kingdom.
Other EU Single Market countries, specifically
Iceland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, were
not included as they did not have applicable
economic impact data. Norway participates in the EU
Single Market via the European
Economic Area (EEA) Agreement.
Switzerland has partial access to
the EU Single Market via
sectoral bilateral agreements.
17
Methodology
Conclusion
Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

It should be noted that revenue by itself is not
the basis of measuring economic impact. Rather,
employment, capital expenditures, operating
profits, and expenses related to jurisdiction-specific
user acquisition and service provisions on the part
of mobile game companies all contribute to their
jurisdiction’s national economy.
For the purposes of this report, Nordicity
modelled the impact as a function of expenditure.
This approach focuses on in-country spending
and excludes the impact of operating profits.
This approach produces a more conservative, but
also more tangible, economic impact assessment.
Each jurisdictional impact assessment
considers employment and spending within the
jurisdiction itself (headcounts specific to offices
in that country, spending on UA within the same
jurisdiction, and additional expenses incurred
in-region).
Unless otherwise stated, figures in the underlying
analysis were calculated in US dollars and
converted into euros using the average USD/EUR
exchange rate for 2025, which was 0.886.
This report describes the operation of mobile

game markets and industries. The distinction
between the two represents a vital difference
between understanding the economic activity
from the perspectives of consumers and the
perspective of developers/publishers, respectively.
Mobile game markets characterise consumer
behaviour and app-based spending, while the
mobile game industry connotes a collection of
companies developing and monetising mobile
games. The latter figures into this report more
prominently because it considers net revenue
(after platform fees, user acquisition (UA) costs,
and other cost of goods), corporate expenditures,
employment, and other operational needs that
drive key economic impacts such as gross value
added (GVA).
Markets vs Industries Defining Economic Impact Economic impact across jurisdictions is based on
measures of employment and gross value added (GVA):
• Employment is measured as a function of full-time
equivalents (FTEs), which standardises labour effort to
a metric representing an employee’s 40-hour week
(thus harmonising measures of employment across
full-time, part-time, contract and temporary workers).
• GVA refers to net economic contribution of the mobile
game companies, comprised in the analysis, based on
employment and other spending.
Methodology
It also measures these as direct, indirect and induced impacts:
• Direct impacts: jobs and economic activity directly generated
as a function of mobile game companies’ employment and
productive capacities.
• Indirect impacts: jobs and economic activity generated by
mobile game companies’ purchases of supplies and services
from other industries.
• Induced impacts: jobs and economic activity generated by
direct and indirect re-spending of labour income in a country’s
wider economy.
18
Methodology
Conclusion
Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Economic Impact Modelling
Nordicity conducted the economic impact analysis contained within
this report using its proprietary MyEIA™ impact modelling tool and
methodology. This modelling approach incorporates jurisdiction-
specific input-output data (sourced from official government sources
such as statistics, labour or economic offices and departments)
as well as industry-specific wage averages and cost breakdowns to
estimate direct, indirect and induced economic impacts from industry
activity, specifically as a measure of additional labour and GVA
contributions for a given economy.
Nordicity’s modelling was supplemented by European mobile game
industry data exported from Sensor Tower. Sensor Tower provides
the most comprehensive market intelligence platform as it pertains
to the global mobile games ecosystem, with key data points such
as per-app downloads, revenue, studio location, and market share,
among others. Nordicity manually validated the exported data set by using
government sources (for example, the UK Companies House,
Sweden’s Bolagsverket, Germany’s Handelsregister, etc.) and
publicly available data (verifying company websites, LinkedIn, press
releases, etc.) to ensure that studios were still in operation, to
approximate headcounts and to check for misattributed jurisdictions.
As a frequent example of the latter, many studios still based in Russia
set their company location to other jurisdictions, commonly in Cyprus.
These studios were excluded from the analysis accordingly.
Overall, Nordicity’s validated data set contained over 1,170 fully
dedicated mobile games companies and subsidiaries as attributed
by Sensor Tower, across 32 European jurisdictions. While there are
more than 1,170 mobile games companies in Europe, Nordicity’s
modelling limits the inclusion criteria to validated companies that
reportedly, via Sensor Tower, made more than $10,000 in revenue
from their mobile games.
Nordicity exported data from Sensor Tower
based on the following criteria:
• Data relates to a one-year period from
January 1st 2025 to December 31st 2025;
• Unified data including both the Google
Play Store and the Apple App Store;
• Only includes downloads and revenue
from apps tagged as ‘games’;
• App studios must be designated as being
located within one of 32 available
European markets;
• Limited to studios with $10,000 or more
in reported gross revenue within the
one-year period.
Methodology
19
Methodology
Conclusion
Social, Cultural and Technological Impact
Economic Contribution
Understanding Mobile Games
Executive Summary
Foreword
Mobile Matters: The Impact of Mobile Games for Europe

Commissioned by King June 2026