Explore the latest trends shaping the game industry with insights from GDC's 2025 State of the Game Industry report, where a significant shift towards PC game development is highlighted.

The 2025 State of the Game Industry Report

80 Percent of Game Devs Are Making Games for PC

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) has unveiled in its 2025 State of the Game Industry report, released on January 21, 2025, that a staggering 80% of game developers are now focusing on PC gaming. This annual survey, which captures the pulse of the global game development community, provides a deep dive into the trends, challenges, and opportunities facing the industry.

The report indicates a 14% increase in PC game development from the previous year, jumping from 66% to the current 80%. This surge might be partly fueled by the growing popularity of Valve's Steam Deck. Although not listed as a primary platform in the survey, 44% of developers who selected the 'Other' category mentioned the Steam Deck as a platform they are interested in targeting.

Despite the emergence of user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipated Switch 2, PC remains the "dominant platform." This trend has been steadily growing, from 56% in 2020 to 66% in 2024, and now reaching 80% in 2025. The continued growth in PC gaming could lead to an even larger library of games available on this platform. However, the upcoming Switch 2, with its enhanced graphics and performance, may slightly alter this trajectory.

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

The same report sheds light on the rising trend of live service games, with one-third (33%) of AAA developers actively engaged in developing such titles. When expanded to include all respondents, 16% are currently working on a live service game, while 13% express interest in doing so. On the flip side, 41% of respondents have no interest in developing live service games.

Developers who are working on or interested in live service games appreciate the potential for financial gain and community engagement. However, those not interested point to concerns such as waning player interest, creative limitations, predatory monetization strategies, and the risk of burnout. The report also highlights the issue of "market oversaturation," which makes it challenging for developers to sustain a viable player base. A notable example of this challenge is Ubisoft's decision to shut down XDefiant only six months after its launch.

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

An article published by PC Gamer on January 23, 2025, pointed out a significant underrepresentation of game developers from countries outside the Western sphere in GDC's latest survey. Nearly 70% of the respondents hail from Western countries such as the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Notably, China, a powerhouse in mobile gaming, and Japan, known for its rich gaming culture, were largely absent from the survey.

This skewed respondent base could potentially bias the findings towards the experiences and perspectives of Western developers, possibly not fully capturing the global state of the game industry. As such, while the report offers valuable insights, it's important to consider the broader context of global game development when interpreting its results.