80% of Game Developers Prioritize PC Over PS5, Switch

The game industry is witnessing a significant shift in development focus, as revealed by the 2025 State of the Game Industry Report from the Game Developers Conference (GDC). Dive into the latest trends shaping the future of gaming!

The 2025 State of the Game Industry Report

80 Percent of Game Devs Are Making Games for PC

The GDC's annual survey, conducted on January 21, 2025, shows that 80% of game developers are now channeling their efforts into PC game development. This marks a 14% increase from last year's 66%, underscoring a significant trend in the industry. The report suggests that this shift could be influenced by the growing popularity of devices like Valve's Steam Deck, with 44% of respondents under the 'Other' category citing interest in developing for this platform.

Despite the rise of user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipation surrounding the Switch 2, PC continues to solidify its position as the "dominant platform." This trend has been on the rise, increasing from 56% in 2020 to the current 80%. As PC gaming continues to grow, the vast library of games available is set to expand even further. However, the upcoming Switch 2, with its enhanced graphical and performance capabilities, might slightly alter this trajectory.

One-Third of Triple A Devs Works On Live Service Games

The report also sheds light on the trend towards live-service games, with one-third (33%) of AAA developers currently engaged in developing such titles. When expanded to include all respondents, 16% are actively working on live-service games, and another 13% express interest in doing so. However, a significant 41% of developers are not interested in pursuing this model, citing concerns like declining player interest, creative stagnation, and the risk of burnout due to predatory practices and microtransactions.

The report points out "market oversaturation" as a critical challenge for live-service games, with developers struggling to maintain a sustainable player base. This issue has been exemplified by Ubisoft's decision to shut down XDefiant just six months after its launch.

Some Devs Underrepresented in GDC’s State of the Game Industry

On January 23, 2025, PC Gamer highlighted a significant underrepresentation of developers from non-Western countries in GDC's latest report. Nearly 70% of the survey respondents hail from Western nations such as the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Notably, developers from China, a powerhouse in mobile gaming, and Japan, a key player in console gaming, were notably absent from the survey.

This skewed representation suggests that the findings may predominantly reflect the perspectives of Western developers, potentially not fully capturing the global state of the game industry.