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UK consumer spending on video games reached £7.6 billion ($10.1bn) in 2024, more than double the £3.5bn ($4.6bn) spent in 2013.
That’s according to Ukie’s 2025 Consumer Market Valuation report which showed that mobile games software grew by 8.1% to £1.7bn ($2.2bn), more than doubling over the past decade.
Moreover, boxed software sales dropped by 34% year-on-year, continuing a decade-long decline as consumers increasingly favour digital formats.
Furthermore, digital formats continued to dominate, rising by 3.5% in line with broader societal shifts. Ukie said that while the console market experienced a notable decline, accessories and PC hardware saw growth.
Hardware sales
On the other hand, game hardware sales declined by just over 5% in 2024, with console sales dropping 24% as the market matured and older systems phased out.
PC and VR hardware posted modest gains, while accessories and peripherals saw a strong 14% year-over-year increase. Ukie’s report found that a 5.1% dip in Q4 hardware sales was mainly driven by decreased demand for the Nintendo Switch.
Meanwhile, spending on game culture fell 13% across all categories, influenced by broader market trends and rising ticket and subscription prices, highlighting affordability as a key focus for future consumer strategies.
Growth opportunity
Ukie has urged the government to back the UK games industry to secure a £500m ($668m) growth opportunity or risk seeing talent, innovation and IP slip away to better-funded international competitors.
“The UK games industry is a global success story, but we can’t take that success for granted,” said Ukie CEO Nick Poole OBE. With smart reforms, we can unlock £500 million in new revenue, create 6,000 skilled jobs, and supercharge the UK’s digital economy.
“But if we delay, we risk losing that prize to competitors overseas. Now is the time to press start on growth. The UK has the talent, the stories, and the studios.
“What we need now is bold support to match our ambition. If the government is serious about backing digital growth, then backing games is the place to start.”
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