PS5, Switch Game Dev Takes a Back Seat as 80% of Devs Focus on PC

The Game Developers Conference (GDC)'s 2025 State of the Game Industry report reveals a significant trend: 80% of game developers are prioritizing PC as their primary development platform. Let's delve into the key findings of this insightful report.

The 2025 State of the Game Industry Report

PC Dominates: 80% of Developers Target This Platform

Released on January 21, 2025, GDC's annual report highlights a remarkable surge in PC game development. A staggering 80% of developers are now creating games for PC, representing a 14% increase from the 66% reported in 2024. While the exact reasons remain unclear, the report suggests the rising popularity of Valve's Steam Deck may be a contributing factor. Interestingly, although not a selectable platform option, 44% of developers who selected "Other" specified the Steam Deck as a platform of interest.

Last year's report already identified the PC as the dominant platform, even with the emergence of UGC platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipation surrounding the Switch 2. This dominance isn't new; the trend has steadily grown from 56% in 2020. This continued focus on PC suggests a further expansion of its already extensive game library. However, the upcoming release of the Switch 2, with its promised graphical and performance enhancements, could potentially introduce a shift in this trend.

Live Service Games: A Third of AAA Developers Involved

The report also sheds light on the prevalence of live-service games. A significant one-third (33%) of AAA developers are currently working on such titles. Expanding the survey to all respondents, 16% are actively developing live-service games, with another 13% expressing interest. Conversely, 41% showed no interest, citing concerns such as declining player interest, creative stagnation, predatory microtransactions, and burnout.

Despite the perceived financial and community-building benefits, GDC points to "market oversaturation" as a major challenge for live-service games. The struggle to maintain sustainable player bases is evident, exemplified by recent high-profile closures like Ubisoft's XDefiant, which shut down just six months after launch.

Geographic Representation: A Noteworthy Imbalance

A PC Gamer article on January 23, 2025, highlighted a significant underrepresentation of developers from various regions in GDC's report. Nearly 70% of respondents hailed from Western countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia), while major gaming regions like China and Japan had minimal representation. This skewed respondent pool might influence the report's findings, potentially not fully reflecting the global game development landscape.