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

The 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC) 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 and their implications.

The 2025 State of the Game Industry Report: Key Highlights

PC Dominance: 80% of Developers Target the Platform

GDC's January 21, 2025 report highlights a remarkable surge in PC game development. A staggering 80% of developers are now focusing on 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, while not a selectable platform option in the survey, 44% of those who chose "Other" specified the Steam Deck as a target platform.

This reinforces PC's position as the dominant platform, a trend that has been steadily growing since 2020 (56%). The continued rise of PC gaming, despite the emergence of platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipation surrounding the Switch 2, underscores the platform's enduring appeal. However, the upcoming release of the Switch 2, with its promised graphical and performance enhancements, could potentially influence this trend in the future.

Live Service Games: A Third of AAA Developers Involved

The report also sheds light on the prevalence of live service games within the AAA development sphere. A significant one-third (33%) of AAA developers are currently working on live service titles. Expanding the survey to all respondents, 16% are actively developing live service games, with an additional 13% expressing interest. Conversely, 41% indicated no interest, citing concerns such as declining player interest, creative limitations, potentially predatory practices, and the risk of developer burnout.

GDC emphasizes the issue of market oversaturation as a significant challenge for live service games, highlighting the difficulty in maintaining sustainable player bases. The recent closure of Ubisoft's XDefiant, just six months after launch, serves as a stark example of this challenge.

Geographic Representation: A Note on Potential Bias

A PC Gamer article published on January 23, 2025, points out a potential bias in the GDC report's representation of the global game development landscape. Nearly 70% of respondents hailed from Western countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia), with notable underrepresentation from regions like China and Japan. This geographic skew suggests the findings might not fully reflect the worldwide game industry's diverse perspectives and experiences.