Dive into the latest trends shaping the gaming world with insights from GDC’s 2025 State of the Game Industry report, which highlights a significant shift towards PC gaming among developers.

The 2025 State of the Game Industry Report

80 Percent of Game Devs Are Making Games for PC

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) unveiled a striking trend in its 2025 State of the Game Industry report on January 21, 2025: a staggering 80% of game developers are now focusing on creating games for PC. This annual survey, which captures the pulse of the global gaming community, sheds light on the evolving landscape, challenges, and opportunities within the industry.

The report indicates a notable 14% increase from the previous year, where 66% of developers were targeting PC. GDC suggests that this surge might be influenced by the growing popularity of Valve’s Steam Deck. Although not listed as a specific option, 44% of developers who selected 'Other' mentioned the Steam Deck as a platform they're keen on developing for.

Last year's report already pegged PC as the "dominant platform," despite the emergence of user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipated Switch 2. The trend of PC dominance has been steadily climbing, from 56% in 2020 to 66% in 2024.

If this trend persists, we can expect an even richer library of games on PC. However, the upcoming Switch 2, with its promised graphical and performance enhancements, might slightly alter this trajectory.

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

The report also delves into the realm of live-service games, revealing that one-third (33%) of AAA developers are currently engaged in developing such titles. When expanded to all respondents, 16% are actively working on live-service games, with another 13% expressing interest in doing so. Conversely, 41% of developers are not interested in pursuing this model.

Those in favor of live-service games appreciate the financial and community-building advantages they offer. However, detractors point to concerns such as declining player interest, creative stagnation, predatory practices, microtransactions, and the risk of burnout.

GDC highlights "market oversaturation" as a critical challenge for live-service games, with developers struggling to sustain a viable player base. A notable example is Ubisoft's decision to shut down XDefiant just six months post-launch.

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

On January 23, 2025, PC Gamer reported that the latest GDC survey might not fully represent the global game development community, as nearly 70% of respondents hail from Western countries like the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Notably absent are significant inputs from China, a powerhouse in mobile gaming, and Japan.

This Western-centric respondent pool could skew the report's findings, potentially not capturing the full spectrum of global gaming trends and challenges.