Discover Why 80% Of Game Developers Are Choosing PC Platforms

Reflecting on the numerous occasions when the death of PC gaming has been proclaimed brings a certain amusement, especially considering that such assertions have often been exaggerated. According to the GDC’s 2025 State of the Game Industry report, there is no room for doubt: development on the PC platform has experienced remarkable growth. A staggering 80% of over 3,000 surveyed developers confirmed they are currently creating games for PC.

This marks a significant increase from the previous year’s report, where 66% of developers indicated they were working on PC games, prompting GDC to label it “the dominant platform.” In comparison, the PlayStation 5, the second most favored platform, garnered only 38%, while the Xbox Series X/S followed closely behind at 34%.

The trend of increasing developer engagement with PC gaming has been evident over the past few years. In 2020, 56% of developers reported being involved in PC game development; this figure rose to 58% in 2021, 63% in 2022, and reached 65% in 2023. Moreover, interest in developing for PC has surged, with 74% of respondents expressing enthusiasm—an impressive jump from last year’s 62%.

The GDC report notes that while the reasons for this spike remain uncertain, it may be linked to the growing popularity of Valve’s Steam Deck. Interestingly, this year’s survey did not categorize Steam or Valve’s handheld device as a separate platform since it serves as a hub for both PC and Mac games. Nevertheless, it appears that many developers consider it a distinct platform; nearly half (44%) of those surveyed mentioned Steam Deck when asked about other platforms that intrigue them.

In the realm of game development, one could reasonably speculate that the accessibility of the PC platform significantly contributes to its widespread popularity. Crafting games is undoubtedly a challenging endeavour, yet the process on PC is relatively straightforward: choose a programming language, pay Valve a modest fee of $100, and just like that, you can begin selling your creations on Steam. In 2024 alone, nearly 19,000 new games were introduced on the platform, which certainly explains why the PC remains a favoured choice among developers. It wouldn’t be surprising if the only creators claiming they aren’t currently focusing on PC development hail from Rockstar. (And yes, the absence of a Grand Theft Auto 6 announcement for PC isn’t something that frustrates anyone, right?)

The GDC State of the Game Industry survey for 2025 illustrates which platforms are preferred by developers. However, it’s essential to recognize that this survey predominantly reflects the perspectives of Western developers, with 58% of respondents coming from the United States. In comparison, an additional 16% originate from the UK, Canada, and Australia. Notably absent from this respondent pool are developers from China, a significant market where mobile gaming reigns supreme. This omission, coupled with the global rise of mobile gaming, suggests that mobile game development might be underrepresented in the findings. Furthermore, Japanese developers appear to be mainly missing as well. Such factors inevitably introduce some bias into the survey results.

Despite these limitations, it’s encouraging to observe that the PC not only maintains its status but also shows growth as the leading platform for game development. However, one cannot overlook the sobering context: the GDC survey revealed that 10% of respondents experienced layoffs in 2024, and 4% reported that their studios had shut down entirely.

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