UK Gamers Increase Spending on Streaming and Game Culture by 42% to £566 Million

UK gamers are diving deeper into the world of video games and the vibrant cultures that surround them, including streaming services, donations, and film adaptations.

In 2025, they shelled out £66 million on watching games, streaming, and video content, marking an 8.3% rise from the £61 million spent in 2024.

This spending spree contributed to a total of £566 million dedicated to game culture in the UK for 2025, a staggering 42% increase from £397 million in 2024.

These insights come from the latest annual UK Games Market Consumer Valuation report from a prominent trade body in the gaming industry.

Another booming sector within UK game culture is consumer spending on toys and merchandise, which hit £333 million in 2025, reflecting a 43% year-on-year growth.

Film, TV, and soundtracks are also on the rise. The Minecraft Movie alone raked in £56.8 million at the UK box office, making it the highest-grossing video game film in British cinema history. This success contributed to a 70% increase in revenue from game-related films and TV, totaling £159 million in 2025.

However, not all areas are thriving; the events-and-venues segment has seen a decline, with spending dropping 39% year-on-year to £5.6 million in 2025, down from £9 million in 2024.

This downturn follows the loss of several major physical gaming events in the UK, such as the Insomnia Gaming Festival and WASD, with some attendees noting a reduced presence of games at events like EGX.

Overall, when considering game software, hardware, and culture, the trade body reported a 7.4% year-on-year growth in the UK games market, with consumers spending £8.76 billion in 2025.

These figures were unveiled as the London Games Festival kicks off, running from April 13th to 19th, 2026.

According to a press release, London ranks as the third-largest global hub for game developers, trailing only Los Angeles and San Francisco. Visitor numbers for the 2026 festival are expected to surpass last year’s, with over 100,000 attendees anticipated, including more than 5,000 industry professionals from over 30 countries.

The UK’s Creative Industries Minister, Ian Murray, stated: “Video games are not only great fun, they are big business – and for too long their value to the British economy has been overlooked. That is why the government has thrown its full support behind the sector with £30 million of new funding. This will turbocharge the careers of some of our most talented game developers, creating more jobs and economic growth right across the country as their ideas come to fruition.”