80% of Game Developers Shift Focus to PC, Leaving PS5 and Switch Behind

Discover the latest trends shaping the game industry with insights from the 2025 State of the Game Industry Report by GDC. Dive into how game development is evolving and what's driving these changes!

The 2025 State of the Game Industry Report

80 Percent of Game Devs Are Making Games for PC

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) has unveiled that an impressive 80% of game developers are now focusing on crafting games for PC platforms, according to their 2025 State of the Game Industry report released on January 21, 2025. This annual survey provides a global snapshot of the gaming world, highlighting key trends, challenges, and opportunities.

The report indicates a significant shift, with the percentage of developers targeting PC rising to 80% from 66% the previous year. This increase could be influenced by the growing popularity of devices like Valve's Steam Deck. While not directly listed as a development platform, 44% of developers who selected the 'Other' category mentioned their interest in developing for the Steam Deck.

PC has long been recognized as the "dominant platform" in the industry, a status that has grown from 56% in 2020 to the current 80%. Despite competition from user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipated Switch 2, PC's lead continues to expand. Should this trend persist, the PC gaming library is set to grow even larger, although the upcoming Switch 2 might slightly alter this trajectory with its enhanced graphics and performance.

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

Additionally, the report highlights that a third (33%) of AAA developers are currently engaged in developing live-service games. Expanding this to all surveyed developers, 16% are actively working on live-service titles, with another 13% expressing interest in doing so. Conversely, 41% of respondents have no interest in pursuing this model, citing concerns such as declining player interest, creative stagnation, predatory practices, and the potential for developer burnout.

Those in favor of live-service games acknowledge the potential for financial gains and community engagement. However, GDC points out the risk of "market oversaturation," where sustaining a player base becomes challenging. A notable example is Ubisoft's decision to shut down XDefiant just six months post-launch, underscoring the difficulties in maintaining live-service games.

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

On January 23, 2025, PC Gamer reported that the GDC survey might not fully represent the global game development scene due to the underrepresentation of developers from countries outside the West. Nearly 70% of respondents hail from Western countries such as the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Notably absent are developers from China, a major player in mobile gaming, and Japan.

This Western-centric focus could skew the report's findings, potentially not capturing the full spectrum of global gaming trends and challenges. As such, while the insights are valuable, they may not fully reflect the diverse nature of the worldwide game industry.