J. Clement
Research lead covering internet and gaming
Video gaming in Sweden - Statistics & Facts
Despite being one of the more modestly sized gaming markets in Europe, Sweden’s small gaming landscape is home to passionate gamers, internationally famous gaming content creators, and some of the biggest names in eSports. As if this wasn’t enough, Sweden also hosts a video game industry that punches above its weight, having produced some of the most popular video games of all time: Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft.
When looking to make gaming purchases, Swedish gamers prefer international platforms such as PlayStation Network, Steam, or Amazon, ahead of regional offerings Elgiganten (Denmark) or CDON (Sweden).
Other notable names in gaming include eSports players, including Boxi (Samuel Svahn), iNsania (Aydin Sarkohi), and miCKE (Micheal Vu), who topped the ranking of the highest-earning players from Sweden. The top eSports titles based on Swedish player winnings are Dota 2, Counter-Strike, and Fortnite.
On the other side of the spectrum are many small and agile game developers, who have launched successful titles such as Minecraft (Mojang Studios), Goat Simulator, and Valheim (both Coffee Stain Studios). These small-scale Swedish game studios are popular acquisition targets for bigger gaming companies. Despite the ongoing gaming industry shakeups, the Swedish gaming scene will likely continue to provide creatives with a suitable environment to thrive.
The Swedish gaming market
The total revenue of the video game market in Sweden in 2024 is projected to reach 1.86 billion U.S. dollars, ranking ahead of its Nordic compatriots but coming in behind the Netherlands and Switzerland. As with many other markets, gaming hardware, in-game advertising, and mobile gaming were the biggest segments based on annual revenue. In 2024, cloud gaming was the fastest-growing gaming segment in Sweden, with an annual growth of over 63 percent.When looking to make gaming purchases, Swedish gamers prefer international platforms such as PlayStation Network, Steam, or Amazon, ahead of regional offerings Elgiganten (Denmark) or CDON (Sweden).
Gamers in Sweden
In 2024, Sweden had an estimated 4.7 million video gamers, reaching about 44 percent of the population. Smartphones were the most used gaming device among Swedish gamers, with consoles and PC/laptops following at almost equal popularity. About a quarter of Swedish gamers spent one to five hours on video games per week, with a further 17 percent claiming six to ten hours of weekly gaming activity.Swedish gaming personalities
With the prevalence of video game streaming in Sweden, it comes as no surprise that Sweden is home to several popular streamers. The most noted online personality from Sweden is Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie, who gained initial fame as a Let’s Play YouTuber before branching out into other non-gaming topics. PewDiePie held the position as the most-followed individual on YouTube before being surpassed by MrBeast in November 2022. Despite being in soft retirement, PewDiePie’s YouTube presence is still one of the most-subscribed YouTube channels worldwide.Other notable names in gaming include eSports players, including Boxi (Samuel Svahn), iNsania (Aydin Sarkohi), and miCKE (Micheal Vu), who topped the ranking of the highest-earning players from Sweden. The top eSports titles based on Swedish player winnings are Dota 2, Counter-Strike, and Fortnite.
Spotlight: the Swedish gaming industry
Featuring gaming companies of all sizes, the Swedish gaming industry is a veritable powerhouse. In 2022, the highest-grossing video game company in Sweden was Candy Crush creator King, generating about 598 million euros in revenue during the measured period. The variety of gaming companies in Sweden is immense: on the one hand, there is the Embracer Group, a multinational industry juggernaut that is currently undergoing massive restructuring, which is expected to impact the country’s gaming industry as a whole.On the other side of the spectrum are many small and agile game developers, who have launched successful titles such as Minecraft (Mojang Studios), Goat Simulator, and Valheim (both Coffee Stain Studios). These small-scale Swedish game studios are popular acquisition targets for bigger gaming companies. Despite the ongoing gaming industry shakeups, the Swedish gaming scene will likely continue to provide creatives with a suitable environment to thrive.
