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

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025 State of the Game Industry report reveals a significant shift in development focus: 80% of game developers are prioritizing PC as their primary 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

GDC's January 21, 2025 report highlights a remarkable surge in PC game development. A stunning 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 in the survey, 44% of respondents who selected "Other" specified the Steam Deck as a platform of interest.

Last year's report already identified the PC as the dominant platform, despite the emergence of UGC platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipation surrounding the Switch 2. This continued growth, from 56% in 2020 to 66% in 2024 and now 80% in 2025, solidifies the PC's position. While this trend promises a wealth of new PC games, the upcoming release of the graphically enhanced Switch 2 could potentially introduce some level of market fluctuation.

Live Service Games: A Mixed Bag for AAA Developers

The report also reveals that one-third (33%) of AAA developers are currently working on live-service games. Expanding this to all respondents, 16% are actively developing live-service titles, with another 13% expressing interest. Conversely, 41% show no interest, citing concerns such as declining player interest, creative stagnation, predatory practices, microtransactions, and burnout.

GDC points to market oversaturation as a significant challenge for live-service games, emphasizing the difficulty in maintaining sustainable player bases. The recent closure of Ubisoft's XDefiant after only six months serves as a stark example of this struggle.

Geographic Representation: A Noteworthy Omission

PC Gamer's January 23, 2025 report highlights a significant underrepresentation of developers from non-Western countries in the GDC survey. Nearly 70% of respondents are from Western nations (US, UK, Canada, Australia), with notable absences from major gaming regions like China (known for its mobile gaming market) and Japan. This skewed representation may influence the report's findings and limit its ability to fully reflect the global game development landscape.