Key Trends in the Gaming Industry in 2025
Gearing up for the 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC), organizers conducted their 13th annual survey of the game development community, including developers, industry experts, educators, and students. The 2025 survey received 3,500 responses from 86 countries spread over six continents. The downloadable report highlights key topics important to game developers in 2025, such as industry layoffs, generative AI, engines and platforms, the business of games, publishing and financing, and more.
Industry Layoffs: Challenges and Recovery
Layoffs have become part of the game industry, with announcements now being made weekly, if not daily. When companies offer a reason for job losses, it's often dressed up as restructuring, declining revenues, or shifting markets. It’s a widespread issue that has yet to stabilize.
Key Insights From 2025:
- One in ten developers report that they have been laid off in the past year.
- Roles in the Narrative field were most impacted, with 19% of respondents.
- 41% reported feeling the impact of layoffs, with 29% observing their direct colleagues being let go.
Game Career Development Track
Days: Wednesday-Friday
Pass Access: All Pass Types
Ready to level up your career? Game Career Development at GDC is your ultimate guide to breaking into the industry or taking your next big step. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your skills, our career-focused content is packed with opportunities to learn from the best, network with top companies, and gain practical tips that will set you apart.
2025 GDC Session Highlights
Paint Me a Picture, Sell Me a Story
David Ventura (Creative Director/CEO, Ichigoichie)
Multiclass Your Career in Games
Amanda Farough (Chief Multiclasser (COO), F-Squared)
Son M (Creative Director & Co-Founder, Perfect Garbage)
Abubakar Salim (Founder, Surgent Studios)
Liam Esler (Managing Director, Summerfall Studios)
Killer Portfolio or Portfolio Killer Part 1: Advice from Industry Artists
Greg Foertsch (CEO/Creative Director, Bit Reactor)
Generative AI: Transforming Game Development
Generative AI has shifted from a concept into a common tool. Investors are pumping billions of dollars into AI companies, studios are busy developing proprietary tools, and AI-generated content has a robust foothold in search engines, social media platforms, and advertisements.
The game industry is also experiencing this shift. Although developers are increasingly utilizing Generative AI tools, fewer companies are showing interest in them, and employers have tightened policies regulating their usage.
Key Insights From 2025
- 1 in 3 developers are now using GenAI to streamline game development.
- More than half of developers surveyed (52%) work for companies implementing generative AI.
- Respondents within Business and Finance Roles in companies were most likely to use Artificial intelligence tools (51%), followed by Production and Team Leadership (41%) and Community, Marketing and PR (39%).
Game AI Summit
One-Day Summit | Monday & Tuesday | March 17-18, 2025
Pass Access: All-Access Pass, Summits Pass
The Game AI Summit at GDC 2025 is a two-day event focused on the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) for game development.
Featuring panels, lectures, and lively discussions led by top AI programmers, designers, and researchers, this summit offers exclusive insights into the key architectures, techniques, and challenges behind successful commercial games. Whether you're developing for consoles, mobile, PCs, or virtual reality (VR), this summit equips you with the skills and tools to solve complex development problems and push the boundaries of next-generation games.
2025 GDC Session Highlights
'LEGO Horizon Adventures': Building Rawwsome Combat Gameplay with Robot Dinosaurs
David Wilson (Lead AI/Gameplay Engineer, Studio Gobo)
Combining GOAP and MBTs to Create NPCs' Behaviors for 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance II'
Matej Marko (AI Programmer, Warhorse studios)
Delivering a Novel Abstract AI System in a AAA 4X Game
Will Smith Chambers (AI Lead, Oxide Games)
Related Generative AI Resources
GDC REPORT: What do Game Developers want from Generative AI?
Published: November 2024
Our exclusive report gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what game developers think about GenAI—its potential, its obstacles, and how it is currently being used. Gain valuable insights and actionable strategies from your fellow peers.
Key Highlights from the Report:
- Adoption - Over 30% of game developers say they’re using Generative AI tools on the job, and others have expressed interest in adopting these tools.
- Regional Differences - East Asian studios are more receptive to Generative AI: 70% of Asian studios use the tools, compared to 42% of developers in North America.
- Uses & Cautions – While there are opportunities for GenAI in level design, NPCs, and procedural generation, some argue it should only be used as an assistance tool, not as a replacement for creative roles.
Engines & Platforms: The Future of Creation Tools
Each year, we ask developers which platforms they’ve been making games for and which they plan to support in the future. PC has consistently been the platform of choice, but 2024 saw its dominance increase even more. Mobile game development has increased for the first time since 2020, but the biggest surprise this year might be the rise of browser games. As for consoles, PlayStation continues to lead over Xbox. However, Xbox is outperforming PlayStation in one area: cloud services.
The number of developers working in virtual and augmented reality has stayed consistent, as have the platforms of choice. According to our survey, the Meta Quest / Horizon Store remains the dominant space for VR/AR developers. This is followed by Steam VR and PlayStation VR/VR2.
We also asked developers to identify the engines they’re using to make their games. Despite an anticipated backlash after Unity announced it would reverse its controversial Runtime Fee policy, Unity and Unreal Engine remain the most used game engines for developers.
Key Insights From 2025
- 80% of developers focused on creating games for the PC market.
- 29% of developers are currently making games for Android and 28% for iOS.
- 16% of developers noted that they’re working on releases for web browsers.
Programming Track: Code Smarter, Build Better
Days: Wednesday-Friday
Pass Access: All-Access Pass, Core
At the Core Concepts Programming track, you’ll dive deep into the nuts and bolts of game development. From groundbreaking techniques to battle-tested coding strategies, we’re bringing together the brightest minds in game programming. You’ll explore topics like optimizing game performance, tackling complex algorithms, and creating dynamic gameplay systems that enhance player experience.
Together, we’ll unlock new levels of creativity through code, all while building a stronger, more innovative game development community.
2025 GDC Session Highlights
'Delta Force': Performant High-Quality Terrain and Biome Technology for PC and Mobile
Hang Jiao (Engine Team Lead, Tencent Games)
Lichuan Wang (Technical Art Team Lead, Tencent Games)
Future Realities Summit: Creating a Martial Art in VR: The 'Broken Edge' Case
Guillaume Perreault Roy (Creative Director / Game Designer, TREBUCHET)
Live Service Games for the Modern Web: 'Dojo Islands'
Brian Cronin (Game Engineer, ClassDojo)
The Business of Games: Market Trends and Insights
Our survey uncovered key trends shaping the industry, from the challenges of live-service games to the growing presence of adaptations and evolving business strategies.
Live-Service Games: Mixed Success and Mixed Opinions
Live-service games have become a staple of the industry, keeping players engaged with fresh content and experiences. While this model can be both lucrative and sustainable, it’s also prone to failures and missed opportunities. Our survey revealed mixed opinions among developers: some praised its financial potential and ability to enhance player experiences and build communities, while others raised concerns about declining player interest, creative stagnation, and other challenges.
Game Adaptations: Growing Numbers, Waning Excitement?
Video game adaptations, especially those based on AAA titles, show no signs of slowing down. According to our survey, more developers are working on games that have been—or are being—adapted into movies or other media. Yet, as the volume of adaptations grows, enthusiasm for becoming the next multimedia hit may be tapering off.
Business Models and Discovery Methods: Insights from Developers
When it comes to business models, most respondents reported working on premium games, followed by free-to-download titles, DLC/updates, and paid in-game items. For game discovery, word of mouth was the most effective marketing tool, with social media coming in as a close second.
Key Insights From 2025
- One-third of AAA developers are working on live-service games.
- 1 in 3 AAA games are adapted for film or TV.
- Over half (57%) of respondents said they’re currently working on premium games.
Business & Marketing Track: Game-Changing Business Strategies
Days: Wednesday-Friday
Pass Access: All-Access Pass, Core
In the Core Concepts Business & Marketing track, you’ll dive into the essential strategies that fuel growth and success in the gaming industry. This track gathers marketing pros and business leaders to reveal the tactics behind building brand loyalty, optimizing monetization, and driving player engagement.
With expert insights on everything from community management to viral marketing techniques, these sessions provide the tools you need to thrive in a competitive marketplace and position your brand for sustainable success.
2025 GDC Session Highlights
Live Service Games Summit: How To Survive Your First Launch: A Community Manager's Guide
Lynn Richter (Senior Community Manager, Velan Studios)
Quo Vadis Mobile Gaming 2025?
Mariusz Gasiewski (CEE Mobile Gaming and Apps Lead, Google)
Community Management Summit: Rise of a Cult: Impact of Community on Unreleased Games
Karan Chhabra (Associate Director - Community, SuperGaming)
Publishing & Financing: What Developers Need to Know
Securing investment remains a major challenge for game creators, and the landscape appears to be getting tougher. In our survey, we asked developers about the publishing and financing options they’ve pursued and how successful those methods have been.
Self-funding continues to be the most common approach, particularly among indie developers, while publishing deals, project-based funding, and co-development contracts are also widely used. However, not all funding methods yield the same level of success. While some developers have found stability through self-financing, others report struggling with external funding sources such as venture capital, accelerators, and crowdfunding.
Beyond financial viability, developers face significant hurdles in securing funding, citing challenges like market instability, lack of industry connections, creative conflicts, and fierce competition. Despite these obstacles, many continue to navigate the evolving landscape, seeking the right balance between financial sustainability and creative independence.
Key Insights From 2025
- Over half (56%) of developers said they’ve invested money into their own games.
- One-third (37%) considered co-development contracts “very successful”
Independent Games Summit
Days: Monday & Tuesday
Pass Access: All-Access Pass, Summits Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass
The Independent Games Summit at GDC 2025 is a two-day event focused on exploring the creativity, challenges, and triumphs of independent game development.
Featuring lectures, postmortems, microtalks, and panels led by notable indie creators, this summit offers practical insights into all aspects of indie game creation, from innovative design techniques to business strategies. Whether you’re looking to refine your development process, learn from failures, or gain new perspectives on building resilient teams, the summit provides invaluable knowledge to help you succeed in the indie game industry.
2025 GDC Session Highlights
Fundraising Bootcamp: Legal and Business Considerations
Jon Loiterman (Of Counsel, Foundation Law Group LLP)
Steven Lee (Partner, Foundation Law Group, LLP)
Funding a Sustainable Cooperative Indie Studio in the Apocalypse
Ty Underwood (Department Chair, Lake Washington Institute of Technology)
D. Squinkifer (Co-Founder, Soft Chaos)
Jess Rowan Marcotte (Co-Founder, Designer, Writer; Community Organizer, Soft Chaos Cooperative; QGCon)
Free During Development: The Unusual Marketing and Development Strategy of 'Cosmoteer'
Walt Destler (CEO, Walternate Realities)
Advocacy: Progress, Challenges, and Industry Perspectives
Game companies continue to make strides in accessibility, DEI, and sustainability efforts, though success varies across initiatives. At the same time, the industry is feeling the impact of broader global challenges, including climate disasters, which have disrupted some developers and studios.
Work hours are also shifting, with more developers reporting longer workweeks than in previous years. Meanwhile, unionization remains a key conversation, with support holding steady as discussions around labor rights and workplace conditions continue within studios.
Key Insights From 2025
- 71% of developers surveyed think their company’s DEI and accessibility efforts have been at least slightly successful.
- 16% of developers face impact of floods, fires, and other natural disasters.
- 13% of developers say they’re working 51+ hours per week on average.
Advocacy Track: Developing a Better Future for the Game Industry
Days: Wednesday-Friday
Pass Access: All Pass Types
The GDC Core Concepts Advocacy track is where we come together to shape a more inclusive, ethical, and sustainable future for the game development industry. This track dives deep into critical conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion, labor rights, mental health, accessibility, and much more. These sessions and roundtables are designed to empower you with actionable insights on creating positive change—both within your own projects and the broader game ecosystem.
From tackling crunch culture to advancing diversity in leadership, Advocacy is about more than just talking—it’s about making real strides toward a more equitable future in game development.
2025 GDC Session Highlights
Accessibility for Everyone in Gaming: When Games Are Accessible, Everyone Can Be Part of the Story
Se Jin Kim (Accessibility Specialist, Smilegate)
Kyoung Jin Lee (D&I Lead, Smilegate)
The Climate Crisis Workshop
Grant Shonkwiler (Commander & Shonk, Shonkventures LLC)
Trevin York (Founder & Director, Dire Lark)
Paula Angela Escuadra (Director of UX Strategy, Microsoft / Xbox)
Jennifer Estaris (Game Director, ustwo games)
Arnaud Fayolle (Game Sustainability Project Director, Ubisoft)
Embracing Neurodiversity and Leadership in the Game Industry
Nathalie Mathe (Professor, Northeastern University)
Sara M.E. Ventura (Senior Producer / Neurodiversity ERG Global Lead, Zynga)
Stuart Massie (Director of Release Management, SEGA)
Anna Nguyen (Senior Producer, Blind Squirrel Games)
Alexander Brazie (Game Designer, Game Design Skills.com)
Intended Audience
This annual report is designed for anyone in the game development community interested in current trends, emerging market opportunities, and the critical challenges developers are facing today.
