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 trends highlighted in 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 unveiled a striking statistic: a massive 80% of game developers are currently developing for PC. This represents a substantial 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 option in the survey, 44% of respondents who selected "Other" specified the Steam Deck as a target platform.

Last year, PC was already declared the "dominant platform," even with 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 solidifies PC's leading position. While this trend suggests a future brimming with PC releases, the upcoming Switch 2, with its promised graphical and performance enhancements, could potentially introduce some market fluctuation.

Live Service Games: A Mixed Bag for AAA Developers

The report also highlights the significant involvement of AAA developers in the live service game market: one-third (33%) are currently working on a live service title. Expanding the scope to all respondents, 16% are actively developing live service games, while 13% express 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 major 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.

Underrepresentation in the GDC Report

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