Most Developers Favor PS5 and Switch 2 Over Xbox for Console Development, Survey Says
There are platforms that developers naturally feel more motivated to work on when creating video games. This can be due to the size of the audience, the system architecture, or the creative options a platform offers. The Game Developers Conference (GDC) has addressed this topic directly in its latest industry survey.
The annual State of the Game Industry survey, conducted with 2,300 professionals, revealed several interesting results. An overwhelming majority—nearly 80%—said they are interested in working on PC. Another notable figure is the 40% of developers who are interested in Steam Deck.
When it comes to consoles, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 both attract around 40% of developers, while only 20% said they are interested in developing for Xbox Series consoles.
Which Platforms Do Developers Prefer?
In simple terms, PC remains the clear favorite platform for game development. On the console side, developers show equal interest in PS5 and Switch 2, placing them well ahead of Xbox.
Lower down the list are mobile platforms and older systems. Development interest stands at 16% for both Android and iOS, followed by the original Nintendo Switch at 13%.
Here is a simplified overview of the results:
- PC (80%)
- Steam Deck (40%)
- PlayStation 5 (40%)
- Nintendo Switch 2 (39%)
- Xbox Series (20%)
- Android and iOS (16%)
- Nintendo Switch (13%)
- VR (12%)
- Xbox One (9%)
- ROG Xbox Ally (7%)
According to the survey, the most important factor for developers is reach, meaning how many potential players they can access. Business models also play a key role, along with what each platform allows developers to do based on its technical features.
These results help explain why PC, PS5, and Switch 2 are currently seen as the most attractive platforms for game creation, while Xbox lags behind in developer interest, at least according to this GDC survey.
