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The 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC) State of the Game Industry report highlights a significant shift in game development focus. A striking 80% of developers are prioritizing PC as their primary platform, a 14% increase from the previous year. This surge in PC development, according to the report, may be partly linked to the growing popularity of Valve's Steam Deck, even though it wasn't a direct survey option. A substantial 44% of those who selected "Other" platforms specified the Steam Deck as a target.
This trend builds upon previous years, with PC dominance steadily increasing from 56% in 2020. While the rise of user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, and the anticipated launch of the Switch 2, have introduced competition, PC remains the dominant force. The continued growth in PC game releases is expected, though the Switch 2's enhanced capabilities could potentially alter this trajectory.
The report also sheds light on the prevalence of live-service games. A third (33%) of AAA developers are currently involved in live-service projects. Across all respondents, 16% are actively developing live-service titles, while 13% express interest. However, a significant 41% are not interested, citing concerns such as declining player engagement, creative limitations, potentially exploitative practices, and the risk of developer burnout. GDC emphasizes the issue of market saturation, highlighting the challenges of maintaining sustainable player bases, as exemplified by Ubisoft's recent closure of XDefiant.
A subsequent PC Gamer article raises concerns about the underrepresentation of developers from non-Western countries in the GDC report. Nearly 70% of respondents were from Western nations (US, UK, Canada, Australia), with notable absences from significant game development regions like China and Japan. This geographical bias could potentially skew the report's findings and limit its ability to accurately reflect global industry trends.
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