The outcomes of the thirteenth annual State of the Game Business Survey have been launched, shining a lightweight on how builders really feel about all method of hot-button trade subjects, together with generative AI.
Nearly all of surveyed builders (52%) mentioned they work for firms that use generative AI, with 36% reporting that they personally use such instruments for recreation growth. Whereas nearly all of surveyed builders are working at firms that use generative AI, 30% of respondents mentioned they imagine generative AI is having a damaging influence on the online game enterprise (up 12% from 2023). The surveyed builders cited issues like IP theft, vitality consumption, and AI program biases as contributing to their emotions towards generative AI.
The survey additionally based that Enterprise and Finance roles (51%) had been the almost certainly to make use of AI instruments, with Manufacturing and Crew Management (41%), and Group, Advertising, and PR (49%) following. What’s extra, the survey discovered that 28% of builders between ages 18-34 used AI applied sciences at work, in comparison with 47% for online game builders over the age of 55.
AI has been a controversial subject in video video games and past, partly over fears about job losses. Digital Arts CEO Andrew Wilson has mentioned the rise in AI will result in job losses within the quick time period however will in the end create extra jobs whole, similar to what occurred with earlier labor revolutions. Online game actors additionally stay on strike, due partly to considerations about the usage of AI.
Exterior of AI, the State of the Game Business examine discovered that males make up 66% of the work pressure, down from 75% in 2020. Ladies and non-binary builders account for 32% of all recreation builders, up from 29% and 24% within the prior years. The p.c of respondents figuring out as LGBTQ+ was 24%, and white/caucasian builders accounted for 59% of the entire recreation developer base within the examine.
The examine additionally touched upon trade layoffs, with the biggest share (30%) saying they had been under no circumstances involved about future layoffs. The examine organizers mentioned this stunning statistic might need to do with the variety of “N/A” responses it bought from builders who might have already been laid off. Layoffs within the online game trade had been rampant in 2024 and have continued in 2025.
One other information level from the survey discovered that PC is much and away the most well-liked platform for builders, with a whopping 80% of respondents saying they had been at the moment making a recreation for PC. This was adopted by PS5 (38%), Xbox Sequence X|S (34%), Android (29%), and iOS (28%).
The examine additionally lined live-service video games, with the most important share (42%) saying they’d not need to make a live-service title as their subsequent recreation, with solely 13% saying they’d need to. The live-service recreation market is huge and probably profitable, but it surely’s additionally extremely aggressive. Sony not too long ago made headlines for cancelling two extra live-service video games, together with a God of Struggle title, following a strategic evaluation.
The State of the Game Industry study was compiled from greater than 3,000 developer responses, printed and compiled in partnership between the Game Builders Convention and Omdia. The examine is basically drawn from responses from impartial and AA studio builders. Solely 15% of responses got here from AAA builders, down from 18% a 12 months earlier than.