2026 State of the Game Industry

2026
STATE OF THE
GAME INDUSTRY
JANUARY 2026

2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWARD ………………………………………………………………\
………..3
1 DEMOGRAPHICS …………………………………………………….5
2 INDUSTRY LAYOFFS …………………………………………….13
3 GENERATIVE AI ……………………………………………………..19
4 ENGINES, PLATFORMS, AND FEATURES …….28
5 THE BUSINESS OF GAMES ………………………………. 37
6 ADVOCACY …………………………………………………………….45

2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 3
FOREWORD
This past year, the Game Developers Conference transformed, becoming
the GDC Festival of Gaming. The State of the Game Industry has also
transformed, expanding to better represent the full game ecosystem. We
spent the past year taking a deep dive into our annual survey and report,
consulting with key stakeholders and members of the community to
refine our questions and diversify our reach.
Our goal was to ensure results not only represent the thoughts and perspectives
of all game industry professionals, but also their areas of expertise. Surveys were
customized for each participant group, ensuring that developers, marketers,
executives, investors, and others answered questions tailored to their unique skillsets.
We also performed a small survey of game educators and students to capture a
snapshot of the challenges facing the next generation.
This year, we surveyed over 2,300 game industry professionals (with a ±3 percent
MoE) on layoffs, generative AI, platforms, and more, collaborating with research
partners at Omdia and the Game Developer editorial team. Internal AI tools were used
sparingly during the research phase, to assist in sentiment analysis. No written or
visual content was generated through AI—with one exception, but you’ll see why.
Thank you to everyone who participated by sharing your thoughts and perspectives.
This year’s State of the Game Industry has given us a new look inside the game
industry puzzle, and we look forward to putting the pieces together with you.

DEMOGRAPHICS 1
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 4

A PIECE OF THE INDUSTRY
Changes to the 2026 survey make year-on-year
comparisons difficult; so, for the most part, we will be
avoiding them. We will note where we see patterns or
similarities, with the caveat that reliable YoY data will
not be available until 2027.
About two-thirds (64%) of this year’s respondents are
men, one-fourth are women (24%), and 8% are non-
binary. About 28% of respondents identify as LGBTQ+,
increasing to 31% for those living in the United States.
About 39% of respondents 18-34 identify at LGBTQ+
(and that percentage rises to 46% among respondents
24 and younger). This year’s demographic breakdown
tracks with changes we’ve seen over the past few
years, but a direct comparison is not recommended.
We asked our respondents whether they’ve attended
the Game Developers Conference in the past 10 years.
Overall, over half (55%) have been to GDC at least
once; 5% have gone to GDC-adjacent events, but not
GDC itself; and 40% have never been. Attendance
rates were much higher for folks based in the US,
with 71% having gone to the event at some point in
the past decade (compared to 37% for international
respondents).
Age
GDC Attendance LGBTQ+
6%
18-24
37%
25-34
35%
35-44
17%
45-54
4%
55-64
1%
65 or older
65%
7%
28%
Prefer not
to answer Ye s
No
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // DEMOGRAPHICS | 5
7-10 times I’ve gone to
GDC-adjacent
events, but not GDC itself
40% 19%
10% 7% 5%
19%
Once 2-3 times
4-6 times I’ve never
attended
Gender
64%
Man
24%
Woman
8%
Nonbinary
3%
Prefer not to disclose
1%
Additional gender category/
identity not listed

This year, we limited the race and ethnicity question to respondents living in the United States, as our more
limited international pool risked an inaccurate representation of diversity outside of the US. Two-thirds (67%)
identified as White or Caucasian; 6% as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin; 5% as Black, \
African, or Caribbean;
5% as East Asian; 2% as Southeast Asian; 1% as South Asian; and 1% as Mi\
ddle Eastern or North African.
About 7% described themselves as having a multi-ethnic background; 83% as part-White or Caucasian, 36%
as part-East, South, or Southeast Asian, 26% as part-Hispanic, Latino or\
Spanish origin, and 20% as part-Black,
African, or Caribbean.
What race, ethnicity, or origin best describes you?
(U S O N LY )
67%
6%
7%
4% 5%
5%
2%
1%
1%
0%
0% White / Caucasian
Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin Black / African / Caribbean East Asian
Southeast Asian
Middle Eastern or North African South Asian
American Indian or Alaska Native
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Multiple ethnicities / Not listed Prefer not to answer
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // DEMOGRAPHICS | 6

WHERE THEY’RE FROM
AND WHERE THEY LIVE
We’ve spent the past year doing community
outreach to increase non-US representation in
this year’s survey, and we’ve seen small signs
of progress. This year, 54% of respondents
were based in the United States, down from
58% in 2025.
However, we still have a disproportionate
number of people from North America
and Western Europe. It’s far from truly
representative of the global community,
and we know more work is needed.
We asked respondents to share both where
they were born and where they currently live,
to get a sense of what countries and US states
see more relocation. We saw some interesting
results for the United States, but other
countries had too small a sample size to be
an accurate representation.
Top countries
(by respondents)
Born / Live
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // DEMOGRAPHICS | 7
United States50% / 54%
Canada
6% / 8%
United Kingdom6% / 6%
Australia3% / 3%
China
1% / 1%
Turkey
1% / 1%
Czechia1% / 1%
Brazil
2% / 1%
France
3% / 2%
Spain
2% / 2%
Germany2% / 2%
Sweden
2% / 3%
India
2% / 2%
Japan
1% / 1%
New Zealand1% / 1%

Top states
(by US respondents)Born / Live
Half (50%) of respondents were born in the
United States, but 54% currently live there.
This shows a net increase in immigration to the
United States by game industry professionals.
When we looked at relocation by state, we saw
some some interesting results. We focused
on US-born game workers, seeing what states
have seen the most relocations. It should
come as no surprise that California ranks at
the top—one-fourth (25%) of US respondents
were born there, and one-third (34%) currently
live there. Washington state had the largest
percentage increase, and New York saw the
most departures.
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // DEMOGRAPHICS | 8
3%
born in
Washington state
12%
live
there
now
California
25% / 34%
Washington3% / 12%
Illinois
5% / 6%
Texas
5% / 6%
New York9% / 5%
Massachusetts3% / 4%
Maryland3% / 3%
Colorado2% / 3%
New Jersey4% / 2%
Florida
4% / 3%
Pennsylvania4% / 3%
Oregon
1% / 2%
North Carolina1% / 2%

1 2 3
THE GAME MAKERS
We expanded this year’s survey to better include investors, marketers,
support teams, educators, and other vital members of the game ecosystem.
However, developers are still our bread and butter. The top job roles for
respondents were game design and narrative (22%), programming (17%),
visual and technical arts (16%), and game production (11%).
These top jobs were consistent across age ranges and years of experience,
although we did see a rise in business roles among older game industry
professionals.
One-tenth (11%) of respondents responded “Other,” with several of them
noting that they work multiple roles—either because they are in leadership
positions, work on small teams, or are solo developers.
Job discipline
22%
17%
16%
11%
11%
7%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1% Game design (incl. Narrative)
Game programming
Visual and technical arts Game production
Business and strategy Marketing / PR
Quality assurance (QA) / Player support Audio
Business operations (HR, IT, legal) User experience (UX)Liveops / AnalyticsSupport services
Community support Other
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // DEMOGRAPHICS | 9
Quality
assurance Visual and
technical arts Marketing /
Community
management
Top jobs for 18-34 year olds

Over half (54%) of respondents reported less
than 10 years of experience in the game industry.
The results were higher for respondents in quality
assurance (76%) and marketing and community
support (68%), and lower for those in business
services and operations (37%).
Currently, 62% of respondents work at game
companies or studios in a variety of roles.
Breaking it down, 45% of those folks work at
independent studios, 31% at AAA studios, 18% at
AA studios, and 6% at co-development studios. To better account for the variety in independent
studio size, revenue, and prominence, we created
two categories: older (at least five years old)
and younger (less than five years old). Over
one-fourth (27%) of respondents from game
companies said they work at older indie studios,
and 18% are at younger indie studios. For company
size, two-thirds (68%) of workers at older indie
studios say there are at least 20 people employed
there. On the other hand, three-fourths (77%) of
respondents at younger indie studios have less
than 20 employees, and 11% work by themselves.
Years of experience
4%
Under a year
22%
3-5 years
20%
6-9 years
8%
1-2 years
18%
10-14 years
13%
15-19 years
4%
25-29 years
7%
20-24 years
3%
30 years or more
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // DEMOGRAPHICS | 10
Studio Type
31%
AAA game studio
27%
Independent game
studio (5+ years
in business)
18%
Independent game studio (<5 years in business)
18%
AA game studio
6%
Co-development studio
Company
4% 62%
2%
1%
1%
0% 7%
7%
6%
5%
5%
Game development / Studio
Education (school / university) Consultant /
Independent contractor
Solo developer
Game publishing
Game technology, services, and distribution
Marketing / PR agency
Media / Journalism
Nonprofit / Advocacy
Funding / Investment Training
76%
QA
37%
Business
Have
less than
10 years
experience

In addition to studio workers, there were consultants and independent contractors
(7%), game publisher employees (5%), and those who work support services like game
technology and distribution (5%). We had over 100 respondents who work in support
services, with their top fields being software and middleware (25%), game engine
technology (17%), and software-as-a-service (16%).
About 4% of respondents identified as full-time solo developers, and 4% said they
work as part-time solo developers.
Company size
8%
identify as solo developers
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // DEMOGRAPHICS | 11
4% 16% 22% 30% 27%
2-9 p e op l e
Just me 10-49 people 250+ people
50-249 people

2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 12
The market has been so
challenging I’m not sure
I’ll remain in games.”
– FORMER C-LEVEL (MARKETING/PR),
CALIFORNIA / LAID OFF <12 MONTHS AGO
INDUSTRY LAYOFFS
2

[1-IN-4] HAVE BEEN LAID OFF
IN THE PAST 2 YEARS
For the past few years of layoffs, there’s been the promise of an eventual “course
correction.” That the post-pandemic layoff surge, which followed COVID-era
investment and hiring, would sort itself out. Some hoped this would be the year. It was
not. Not only have layoffs continued to afflict the game industry; they’ve gotten worse.
According to our survey, 17% of game industry professionals reported being laid off
in the past 12 months, while 11% said they were laid off during the 12 months prior
(lining up with our 2025 survey data). Altogether, that means over one-fourth (28%)
of respondents have experienced a layoff in the past two years, increasing to one-
third (33%) for those in the United States. The total number of layoffs could be higher,
though, as some may have experienced more than one layoff in the past two years.
Game designers (including narrative) reported the highest percentage of layoffs
within the past 12 months (20%), and those working in business operations and
services said they experienced the least (8%). Of those who’ve experienced a layoff,
almost half (48%) said they haven’t found another job yet. This includes 36% of game
industry professionals who were laid off 1 to 2 years ago.
Half of respondents said their current (or most recent) companies have conducted
layoffs in the past 12 months, while 42% said they haven’t.
Over 450 respondents reported experiencing an acquisition, closure, or merger in
the past year. About 31% of those people also reported being laid off, though it’s
unclear how many were a direct result of said company changes. AAA and older indie
respondents were more likely to report their companies were acquired, and newer
indie studios were more likely to close.
Have you been laid off in the past 24 months?
72%
No
17%
Yes (<12 months)
11%
Yes (12-24 months)
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // INDUSTRY LAYOFFS | 13
Did your current or former company experience any of the following?
(by layoff status) 450 respondents
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
Acquisition ClosureMerger
Laid off
Not laid off 41%
79% 63% 18% 13%16%

[AAA STUDIOS] CONTINUE TO SHED WORKERS
Perceptions about whether we’re heading toward that long-promised ”course
correction” are mixed. About half (47%) of currently employed respondents said they
don’t anticipate layoffs in the next year, one-fourth (23%) said they do, and 30% were
unsure. However, people who’d been laid off previously (and since found another job)
were more likely to feel unsure (40%) of future layoffs.
Respondents at AAA studios were more likely to say they anticipate future layoffs,
and there appears to be a reason for those concerns. While 8% of AAA game workers
said they were laid off 1 to 2 years ago, 19% said they were laid off within the past
12 months.
Overall, two-thirds of respondents at AAA studios said there were layoffs at their
companies. Only one-third of people working at indie studios reported the same.
Given how 15% of respondents from indie studios said they were personally laid off
in the past year, these numbers suggest that company layoffs were more likely to
have a personal impact on indie professionals, possibly due to their smaller studio
sizes, while AAA workers had a stronger likelihood to see layoffs happening elsewhere
at their companies.
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // INDUSTRY LAYOFFS | 14
Do you anticipate future layoffs at your company in the next 12 months?
47%
No
23%
Ye s
30%
Unsure
I’ve been laid off so many times in the last 5-6 years,
had so many turbulent issues working in games.
I have trauma and can’t ever fully trust anywhere now.
– MANAGER (GAME DESIGN), CALIFORNIA

Layoffs don’t just affect game workers currently in
the industry, it also impacts future developers and
leaders eager to enter the space. We surveyed over 100
educators and 50 students about what they’re seeing and
anticipating.
Three-fourths (74%) of surveyed students said they’re
concerned about their future job prospects in the game
industry. In open responses, students noted the lack of
entry-level jobs, increased competition from laid-off workers with more experience,
and AI-led displacement (not to mention the rise in AI résumé screening). One person
said they’ve been applying for internships for three years now, with no success.
Professors are echoing this sentiment: A large majority (87%) of surveyed educators
said they either expect to see a negative impact on student placement post-
graduation, or it’s already happening. Some of them said they’re seeing more
students, in response, pursuing indie development, launching their own studios, or
continuing in higher education. Do you expect the current economic and industry
climate to have an impact on the placement rate of your students into the game industry?
Total Respondents 105
There aren’t any jobs.
Everyone’s getting fired.
It’s fucked.
– STUDENT (GAME DESIGN), CALIFORNIA
EDUCATION POV: [L AYOFFS]
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // INDUSTRY LAYOFFS | 15
11% 60% 27%
Unsure
2%
No
Ye s
I’ve already seen an impact
3-in-4
students worry
about future jobs
Most of my students will not have
a career in game development.
– EDUCATOR (COMPUTER SCIENCE), MICHIGAN

COMPANIES CALL IT [RESTRUCTURING]
WORKERS BLAME [MISMANAGEMENT]
We asked respondents to share up to three reasons their current or former
companies gave for layoffs in the past 12 months. Company restructuring (43%) was
the most cited reason, followed by budget cuts and market conditions (38% each), as
well as project cancellation (32%).
These percentages were much higher than last year’s, but that’s likely because we
limited the question to those who’d been impacted by layoffs.
We also wanted to hear what the overall game community thought were the
reasons for more layoffs; so, we analyzed more than 1,200 open responses, 700 of
them from people directly impacted by layoffs. Apart from budget constraints and
market conditions, a lot of responsibility was placed on mismanagement and greed,
unrealistic expectations, US-based tariffs and other global economic issues, and the
adoption of AI tools.
That said, some respondents noted that their companies have worked hard to retain
employees, in spite of ongoing challenges.
What reason(s) did your current
or former company give for layoffs?
(CHOOSE UP TO 3)
43%
38%
38%
32%
31%
8%
6%
6%
6% 7%
4% Company restructuring
Budget cuts
Market conditions Project cancelled
Strategic direction change Project completion
Merger / Acquisition
Automation / AI implementation
Tariffs or rising operational costs Other
No reasons given
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // INDUSTRY LAYOFFS | 16
AAA
1. Company restructuring
2. Project cancelled
3. Strategic direction change
AA
1. Budget cuts
2. Company restructuring
3. Market conditions
Indie
1. Market conditions
2. Budget cuts
3. Company restructuring
Top reasons for layoffs
(by studio type)

Leadership failed to see that the COVID-era boom was not permanent,
[and the] company went on an acquisition spree before being acquired.
Now, money is a lot tighter because the goldfish with the money want
returns yesterday so they can funnel it into the current fad (genAI).
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (GAME PROGRAMMING), INDIA
At my current company, there has
been SOME layoffs due to company
restructure and budget costs, but overall
they’ve tried hard to retain folks.
– MANAGER (GAME DESIGN), WASHINGTON STATE
El problemo es
el capitalismo.
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (GAME DESIGN),
CANADA
We’re coming up towards launch, and if sales aren’t good enough, there’ll be layoffs.
– OWNER (INDEPENDENT STUDIO 5+ YEARS), AUSTRALIA
Executives who have never actually
worked as a dev are pulling up the boards
on their ships, throwing people overboard, and expecting these scuttled ghost ships to keep making them infinite money.
– FORMER SENIOR EMPLOYEE (GAME DESIGN), NEW YORK / LAID OFF <12 MONTHS AGO
I feel like this question implies there’s a justified
reason for layoffs at large studios, which I can
assure you there almost always is not.
– CONTRIBUTOR (GAME PRODUCTION), WASHINGTON STATE
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // INDUSTRY LAYOFFS | 17
IN [YOUR] WORDS
From your perspective, what is responsible for the rise in layoffs at your company / in the game industry?

GENERATIVE AI 3
AI is theft. I have to
use it, otherwise
I’m gonna get fired.
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE
(VISUAL AND TECHNICAL ARTS), UKRAINE
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 18

[1-IN-3] GAME WORKERS TURN TO GENERATIVE AI FOR
RESEARCH, EMAILS, AND MORE
We are a small team, so
it is making us capable
of achieving more than
we would without it.
– EXECUTIVE VP (INDEPENDENT STUDIO <5 YEARS),
CALIFORNIA
Over one-third (36%) of game industry professionals use generative AI tools as part of their job, but there are some
differences in who’s adopting those tools. Men (41%) reported using it more than women (35%), older workers
(46%) more than younger ones (34%), and those with a Master’s or PhD (45%) said they turn to it more than those
with a Bachelor’s degree or lower (33%). But some of the biggest differences are in what kind of job you have and
where you work.
Respondents at game studios reported using AI tools (30%) less than those at publishing companies, support
teams, and marketing/PR firms (58%). Business professionals’ usage (58%) far outweighs most other job disciplines.
And upper management (47%) uses AI tools more than those in the lower decks (29%). Studio directors (36%) sit
between the two groups.
Do you use generative AI tools as part of your job?
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 19
64%
No
36%
Ye s

Given the increasing number of available tools, we asked our genAI adopters what
tools they turn to for work. The most used AI tool for game industry professionals
were large language models (LLMs)—mainly ChatGPT (74%), followed by Google
Gemini (37%) and Microsoft Copilot (22%). Midjourney (17%) was the most used
text-to-image or video tool, alongside Adobe Generative Fill (13%) and Sora AI (8%)
One-fifth (21%) of respondents said they use internal tools from their companies,
increasing to 30% for AAA workers. And several respondents wrote in Claude Code,
an LLM that was not included in this year’s survey. We also asked those respondents what they use the tools for. The most common
use was research or brainstorming (81%), followed by daily tasks (like writing emails)
and code assistance (47% each), and prototyping (35%). Generative AI tools appear
to be used less for creative tasks like asset generation (19%), procedural generation
(10%), and player-facing features (5%).
Which [generative AI] tools do you use?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
How do you use generative AI tools?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
13%
8%
8% 15%
17% 74%
37%
22%
21%
21%
ChatGPT
Google Gemini
Microsoft Copilot
Internal / Proprietary tools Midjourney
GitHub Copilot
Adobe Generative Fill Sora AI
DALL-E Other 81%
47%
47%
35%
22%
20%
19%
10%
5% 8% 12% Research / Brainstorming
Writing emails / Scheduling / Other daily tasks
Code assistance
Prototyping
Testing / Debugging Marketing /
Promotional content
Asset generation
Personalized content
Procedural generation Player-facing features Other
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 20

Overall, about half (52%) said generative AI tools
are being used at their companies, including
one-third (35%) of those who don’t use AI
themselves. So, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing
more companies adopt policies on generative AI.
According to the survey, over three-fourths (78%)
of respondents work at companies with some form
of internal policy on AI use, while 15% said there’s
no policy and 7% were unsure.
Like last year, the most common policy was
optional use—but we saw an increase in
respondents whose companies allow select tools
to be used. Those tools were primarily LLMs like
ChatGPT (58%), Microsoft Copilot (44%), and
Google Gemini and internal tools (39% each).
Are generative AI tools used at your company
or in your department? What is your company’s policy regarding the use of
generative AI tools in the workplace?
15%
7% 28%
16%
6%
6% 22%
They’re optional
Select tools are allowed, others are not We’re not allowed to use any No policy
Only proprietary / internal tools They’re mandatedUnsure
x
52% Ye s
35% No
13% Unsure
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 21
We are not allowed to [use AI tools].
I’m not privy to the reasons behind
that decision. However, I’m with my
employer on this.
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (VISUAL AND TECHNICAL ARTS), GERMANY

HALF OF WORKERS THINK GENERATIVE AI
IS [BAD] FOR THE INDUSTRY
It appears that the more game industry professionals
know about generative AI, the less they like it.
This year’s survey shows that over half (52%) of game
industry professionals think generative AI is having a
negative impact on the game industry, up from 30%
last year and 18% the year prior. Workers in visual and
technical arts (64%), game design and narrative (63%),
and game programming (59%) hold the most unfavorable
views. We also saw a great deal of opposition among
those in quality assurance and community support, but
those sample sizes were relatively small.
About 7% of respondents said generative AI is having a
positive impact on the game industry, down from 13% in
2025. That amount was higher for executives and those
in business operations and services (19% each). Those
same professionals were more likely to say generative
AI is having a mixed impact—an opinion that was more
prevalent among all game industry workers in previous
surveys. In 2025, it was half (51%) of them. This year, it
was 30%.
We asked our respondents to share what considerations
or values guide their decisions whether to use
generative AI tools, and over 1,600 responded. Sentiment analysis (generated by our internal AI tool)
showed some support for using AI tools for non-creative
tasks like code assistance or prototyping. But about
30% of the responses were opposed to using AI tools in
any capacity. Their biggest issues were data sourcing,
energy consumption, and the risk of AI replacing jobs
(including creative roles).
As part of a thought experiment, we fed the
anonymous open responses into our internal
AI tool (no other survey data was included).
We asked it a simple question: “Based on these
responses, would you recommend game industry
professionals use generative AI tools?”
This was its conclusion: Generative AI tools can be beneficial
for specific, non-creative tasks that
improve efficiency and streamline
workflows. However, their use in creative
processes or player-facing content is
strongly discouraged due to ethical, legal,
environmental, and reputational concerns.” What impact do you think Generative AI is having on the game industry?
2024 2025
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
2026202420252026
21%
18%52%
30%
13% 7%
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 22

We surveyed over 100 educators and 50 students about how (or whether)
they use AI tools, and what impact they believe they’re having on the industry.
According to our survey, 58% of educators and 39% of surveyed students use
generative AI tools as part of their job or studies. Both groups reported using
ChatGPT more than other AI tools and said they use them most often for
research/brainstorming and code assistance.
Interestingly, educators appeared to have a more favorable view of generative
AI than their students: 53% of educators said the tools are having a mixed
impact on the industry, while 57% of surveyed students said they’re having a
negative impact. However, given the small sample sizes, these numbers may be
more of a snapshot than a truly representative group.
EDUCATION POV: [GENERATIVE AI]
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 23
Right now, I’m in school and my focus is on learning the skills to
make games, so I feel like using AI would run counter to my goals.
– STUDENT (GAME DESIGN), ILLINOIS
Gen AI is inescapable, so everyone
needs to learn to use it to enhance
their productivity. Students and
teachers who do not understand
how to incorporate AI will be
jobless in the future.
– EDUCATOR (USER EXPERIENCE), INDIA
I personally never use them,
their impact [on] the
environment is too high for
my personal values. But I allow
students to use tools for coding,
as long as they are capable of
explaining how the end result
works and why.
– EDUCATOR (GAME DESIGN), PANAMA
All work using AI
should declare and
cite the specific use.
Students unfortunately
do not consistently
follow this requirement.
– EDUCATOR (GAME DESIGN),
PENNSYLVANIA

POSITIVE IMPACT
Anything that needs to scale but would not be possible for a one-man-show with a few freelancers is up for grabs for AI. It is worse to NOT make the game.
– SOLO DEVELOPER (GAME PRODUCTION), GERMANY
We are intentionally working on a platform that
will put all game devs out of work and allow kids
to prompt and direct their own content.
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (MACHINE LEARNING OPS), NEW MEXICO
It’s a tool and tools are meant
to be used by humans.
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (GAME PUBLISHING), CALIFORNIA
I think the reaction to AI is a moral panic similar to when
computer graphics started being used in the movie industry.
– CONTRIBUTOR (SECURITY), CALIFORNIA
I use it to help me project
manage. As a neurodivergent
person, I struggle with
segmenting big picture ideas
to manageable small tasks. AI is
great for those kinds of help.
– CONSULTANT (MARKETING/PR), CALIFORNIA
GDC 2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 24
IN [YOUR] WORDS
What considerations or values guide your decisions about if, when, or how to use generative AI tools in your work?
(categorized by responses to generative AI’s impact on the game industry)
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 24

MIXED IMPACT
As a solo dev who needs to self-fund with a limited
runway, I can’t compete without using AI to some extent.
But I refuse to use any AI output as in-game assets.
– SOLO DEVELOPER (VISUAL AND TECHNICAL ARTS), WASHINGTON STATE
I’ve already lost a job and known countless others who have lost their
jobs to AI, and so I think it’s foolish to not prepare for the inevitable
future and try to learn and understand as much as possible about the
tooling and its potential usage. Because company heads and leaders
will always be looking for where they think they can save a buck or two.
– DIRECTOR (BUSINESS AND STRATEGY), WASHINGTON STATE
I don’t tell anyone how I
use AI, for fear of backlash.
– CONTRIBUTOR (GAME DESIGN), CALIFORNIA
AI is wonderful for process improvement and rote
tasks, it should not be used for art or coding.
– FORMER MANAGER (USER EXPERIENCE), FLORIDA / LAID OFF <12 MONTHS AGO
I believe AI can be
a fantastic tool to
streamline tedious work
and help a lot in the
STEM space. It, however,
can never replace
human creativity and
artistic expression.
– FORMER CONTRIBUTOR
(GAME DESIGN), PENNSYLVANIA /
LAID OFF <12 MONTHS AGO
In our studio, none of
the gen AI survives to
a stage where players
experience it. That
joy is reserved solely
for our incredibly
talented humans.
– DIRECTOR (AUDIO), NEW YORK
I guess I’m hypocritical about it.
I’m outspokenly against AI,
but then do use ChatGPT as
a sounding board for some of
my marketing ideas.
– MANAGER (MARKETING/PR), CANADA
GDC 2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 25
IN [YOUR] WORDS
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 25

NEGATIVE IMPACT
Gen AI on the whole is wretched. It’s built on theft
and plagiarism, it uses insane amounts of energy.
It’s convinced so many gullible rich idiots that it’s
a magic wand, but it’s just a bullshit generator.
All it can do is spew out predictive garbage that
vaguely resembles things it’s been trained on.
Fuck you for even asking, honestly.
– FORMER SENIOR EMPLOYEE (VISUAL AND TECHNICAL ARTS),
WASHINGTON STATE / LAID OFF <12 MONTHS AGO
AI is great at a lot of things, but don’t let
it take center stage just because it’s quick
and convenient. AI has a bad rap and people
are sensitive to it. Use it mindfully, present
it with caution and care. People will notice
and they will judge.
– FORMER CONTRIBUTOR (QUALITY ASSURANCE),
CALIFORNIA / LAID OFF 12-24 MONTHS AGO
I’d rather quit
the industry than
use generative AI.
– SUPERVISOR (GAME DESIGN),
UNITED KINGDOM
Why would I replace human creativity with a regurgitated amalgamation of everything that’s come before?
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (VISUAL AND TECHNICAL ARTS),
WASHINGTON STATE
The only problem generative AI solves is the
one where people with money have to pay
people without money. There is no problem
gen AI solves in this industry that is worth
the kind of loss to creativity and jobs.
– FORMER MANAGER (GAME PRODUCTION), CALIFORNIA /
LAID OFF <12 MONTHS AGO
If it’s ethically sourced,
practical to use, doesn’t
distract from development
time, and is likely to still be
around in FIVE years, maybe
we’d be interested after we
scale up. But right now we
have no use for tools that
create assets for us, because
creating the game is what
gives us joy.
– OWNER (INDEPENDENT STUDIO
5+ YEARS), NORWAY
Our standing rule is: If one of us brings up using GenAI in any
of our work, then it’s safe to assume we’ve been assimilated
by The Thing and should be burned alive by Kurt Russell.
– CONSULTANT (GAME DESIGN), WASHINGTON STATE
GDC 2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 26
IN [YOUR] WORDS
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 26

ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES 4
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 27

IT’S FULL STEAM (DECK) AHEAD, UNREAL [SURPASSES] UNITY
This year, we limited the game engine and platform questions to those with job titles most likely involve
interacting with game engines—including game designers, programmers, and\
visual/technical artists—and this
group will be referred to as “developers.” While experts in other roles may take on development tasks at times,
we wanted to make sure that the people working on games consistently were shaping the conversation around
what’s being used.
According to our survey, 42% of developers are using Unreal Engine and 30% are on Unity. This is the first \
time
we’ve seen this discrepancy, as the previous two State of the Game Industry surveys had Unreal Engine and
Unity sitting at a dead heat. However, it’s unclear whether this indicates an actual shift or is a result of offering
this question to a more concentrated demographic.
What game engine do you primarily use for game development?
Proprietary /
In-house User-generated
content tools (e.g. Roblox, UEFN) N/A
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 28
42% 30% 19% 5% 1% 3%

What game engine do you primarily use for game development?
(by business model and studio type)
Unreal Engine adoption appears to be more common
for developers at AA (59%) and AAA (47%) studios,
along with those working at newer indies (41%). Not so
much at older indie studios, of which a majority (54%) of
developers are still using Unity. We also see higher use
of Unity among those making free-to-play games (38%)
compared to premium games (28%). Godot has gained
some use with newer indie developers (11%), but less so
with those at more established studios.
User-generated content tools like Roblox remain on the
fringe of professional development. As of now, 3% of
free-to-play game developers use UGC tools to make
games, and two (not 2%, just two) premium developers in
our survey said they’re doing the same. This could be
because the Roblox ecosystem doesn’t often directly
intersect with the world of traditional game development.
Premium Games Free-to-Play
Games AAA
developers AA
developers Newer indie
studios Older indie
studios
45%
28%20% 31%
38%
30%
47%
44%59%
54%
21% 18%
11% 11%
41%
40%
22% 5%
Unreal Engine Unity Proprietary / In-house Godot
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 29

Finding the right platform(s) for your game can be a daunting
task, but it is key to finding success in an often overcrowded
marketplace. We asked respondents what factors take top
priority in deciding what platforms to put their games on.
According to our survey, audience reach (78%) is most
important, followed by business model success (44%) and
discoverability (43%).
What are you or your company’s top factors for choosing a platform to release a game?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
78%
44%
43%
28%
16%
10%
4% 9%
7% Audience reach
Business model success DiscoverabilityEase of use
Accessibility
Content policies
Player monetization tools Payment toolsOther
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 30

Can be initially good for consumers but not great
for indie developers or non-LiveOps games, which in the long run may hurt consumers.
– SENIOR VP (PAYMENT PROCESSING), CALIFORNIA
ROI of these models is falling, and not a long-term strategy. The impact of being on Game Pass [and other subscription platforms] is not what it used to be.
– DIRECTOR (COMMUNITY SUPPORT), CANADA
I think they can be valuable if
developers are given fair equity
in the subscription model.
– C-LEVEL (FUNDING/INVESTMENT), CALIFORNIA
Subscription libraries can change the perception
of the value of games and the expected attention
time. This works well with mobile because of
the monetization challenges. The benefit for
traditional box titles is still to be proven in the
long run.
– CONSULTANT (BUSINESS AND STRATEGY), TEXAS
For us at the midsize indie
scale, these buyouts provide
significant operational revenue
for both us and our developers.
We often make more from biz
dev deals than unit sales.
– C-LEVEL (GAME PUBLISHING), CALIFORNIA
Mixed thoughts. If a player is dedicated
to a specific brand, then it provides great
benefits to the player. However, many of
these platforms are lacking in trackable
metrics in player behavior between the
player purchasing a premium game and
engaging with a premium game as part
of the subscription service. These two
player behaviors are vastly different, and it
causes the developer to not have accurate
retention and acquisition data—resulting
in inefficient choices in how to best serve
their communities.
– DIRECTOR (LIVEOPS/ANALYTICS), OHIO
GDC 2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 31
IN [YOUR] WORDS
What are your thoughts on the value of paid subscription libraries for games (e.g. Apple Arcade, Xbox Game Pass)?
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 31

When it comes to the platforms themselves, PC remains at the top, with 83%
of surveyed developers currently making games for it and 80% saying they’re
interested in doing so. More developers are working on games for PlayStation 5
hardware (47%) than Xbox Series X/S (40%).
PlayStation also outranks Xbox in developer
interest, with twice as many respondents
wanting to make games for the PS5 (40%) than
the Xbox X/S (20%). We’ve also seen a possible
decrease in Xbox Cloud Gaming services—
with 8% of developers making games for the
platform, compared to 13% of developers in
similar roles last year.
Newly added for 2026, Valve’s Steam Deck has already become the fourth most-
used platform on the market (at least according to our survey) with 28% of
developers making (or optimizing) games for the PC handheld. In addition, 40% of
developers said they’re interested in making games for Steam Deck, putting it on
par with the newer Nintendo Switch 2 (39%).
Other PC handhelds don’t seem to have caught on quite yet, with interest for
ROG Xbox Ally and similar handhelds sitting at 7% and 6% respectively.
It’s important to note that the survey opened before the announcement of the
new Steam Machine and Steam Frame VR headset, so they were not included
(but it’s possible the announcement impacted developer interest in Steam
products). It also closed before Meta announced cuts in its Reality Labs division
focused on VR, so that information would have no bearing on these results. Which platform(s) have been used for your most recent game or project?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
83%
47%
40%
28%
23%
23%
5%
3%
3%
2%
2%
1%
2% 8%
8%
8%
8%
8% 23%
21%
18%
17% PC
PlayStation 5 (or 5 Pro) Xbox Series X / SSteam DeckAndroid
Xbox One (or One X) iOS
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch 2 Mac
Web browser / HTML Linux
VR / AR / MR
PlayStation Plus (Extra or Premium) Xbox Cloud GamingROG Xbox Ally
Tabletop games
UGC platforms (e.g. Roblox, UEFN)
Media platforms (e.g. Netflix TikTok) PlaydateOther
Other PC handheld (e.g. Lenovo Go, Sunday Dragon 3D One)
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 32
40%
want to make games
for Steam Deck

80%
40%
40%
39%
20%
16%
6%
6%
1% 5%
4%
4%
2% 12%
12%
12%
12%
10%
9%
7% 16%
13% PC
PlayStation 5 (or 5 Pro) Steam Deck
Nintendo Switch 2 Xbox Series X / S AndroidiOS
Nintendo Switch Tabletop games LinuxMac
VR / AR / MR
Web browser / HTML Xbox One (or One X) ROG Xbox Ally
PlayStation Plus (Extra or Premium) Playdate
Xbox Cloud Gaming
Media platforms (e.g. Netflix, TikTok) UGC platforms (e.g. Roblox, UEFN) Other
Other PC handheld (e.g. Lenovo Go, Sunday Dragon 3D One)
68%
88% 57%
55% 55%
47% 38%
32% 31%
25%
PC
PC
Android
PC iOSPlayStation 5
(or 5 Pro) Xbox
Series X / S
PlayStation 5 (or 5 Pro)
PC
Xbox
Series X / S Steam Deck
Xbox One
(or One X)
Which platform(s) most interest you as a developer right now?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
TOP 5 PLATFORMS
[PREMIUM]
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 33
[FREE-TO-PLAY]

Age verification and stricter payment processes are definitely increasing
friction, but I actually think this shift is healthy. It’s forcing the industry to become more compliant, transparent, and ultimately more trustworthy.
– MANAGER (GAME PRODUCTION), INDIA
I’m already affected by it: Payouts from my asset sales on Itch.io are always late.
– SOLO DEVELOPER (GAME PRODUCTION), AUSTRALIA
People are going to be talking to legal a lot more now.
– MANAGER (GAME PRODUCTION), CALIFORNIA
Ultimately, this sucks for the industry and society.
Payment processors should not be allowed to
choose what art people are allowed to create.
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (GAME PROGRAMMING), CANADA
Developers will have to choose between
compromising their vision or losing out on
a certain market. I fear many people will be
forced to compromise for survival.
– MANAGER (GAME DESIGN), MASSACHUSETTS
I believe the core intent—protecting
citizens, particularly minors, from predatory
monetization practices—is justified.
– EDUCATOR (VISUAL AND TECHNICAL ARTS), PORTUGAL
Creators of adult media deserve
support, for one—but also, we
all know the goalposts will keep
moving. It starts with sex, it
continues with the mere existence
of queer people or mentions of
accurate history of racism and
colonialism. AAA studios need to
join companies that are fighting
these laws. The rest of us do not
have lawyer money.
– SENIOR EMPLOYEE (GAME
PROGRAMMING), FRANCE
LGBTQ+-focused work will be
targeted as ‘inappropriate for
minors,’ disincentivizing developers
from incorporating those themes
at all into their games—reducing
LGBT visibility and, in general,
moving those works underground.
– SOLO DEVELOPER (AUDIO), VIRGINIA
GDC 2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 34
IN [YOUR] WORDS
Given recent payment processor issues and state/country age verification policies,
what do you expect the impact to be on the game development environment?
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // GENERATIVE AI | 34

[8%] OF DEVELOPERS WORKED ON
VR/AR/MR THIS YEAR
Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) is where things shift a bit.
Last year, we surveyed respondents who, at any point, had worked on VR/AR/MR.
This time around, we limited our query to developers who had worked on VR/AR/MR
within the past year. This totaled about 8%, which is less than 100 participants—
meaning the following section reports on a smaller, focused base.
Our respondents marked the Meta Quest / Horizon Store as the top platform for
alternative reality experiences, with 82% of VR/AR/MR developers making games for
the platform. This was followed by Steam VR (37%) and PlayStation VR/VR2 (21%).
Which VR/AR/MR platform(s) have been used for your most recent project?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
94 participants
82%
37%
21%
11%
9%
7%
2%
1%
7%
6%
4%
3%
2% Meta Quest / Horizon Store
Steam VR
PlayStation VR / VR2 Apple VisionOS
Epic Games Store Pico Store
HTC Viveport
Google ARCore Apple ARKitSideQuest
Magic Leap Snap OX Other
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 35

For developer interest, we expanded our reach to include anyone who said they’re
interested in making games for VR/AR/MR, which more than doubled our number of
participants. For this group, the Steam VR (68%) platform surpassed Meta Quest /
Horizon Store (64%) as the space they’re most interested in making games for. These
were followed by PlayStation VR/VR2 (34%) and Apple VisionOS (15%).
However, when we focused on the developers who’ve actually worked on VR/AR/MR
games, they still seemed to prefer Meta Quest (72%) over Steam VR (59%).
Which VR/AR/MR platform(s) have been used for your most recent project?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
193 participants
35%
20%
9%
5%
5%
3%
0%
0%
0%
16%
2%
1%
1%
1% Self-funding
Publishing deal / Project-based funding Co-development contractPrivate investmentVenture capital
Government funding / Grants Platform-based funding CrowdfundingSeed funding
Friends or family Bank loan
Accelerator
Initial public offering Unsure / N/A
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 36

What [accessibility] features are you working on,
or know are being implemented, for your next game?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
[ONE-THIRD] OF
DEVELOPERS WORK ON
ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES
One-third (33%) of surveyed developers said
they work on accessibility features, totaling 425
participants. Using the ESA Accessible Games
Initiative’s features list, which debuted at GDC
2025, we asked these developers to share what
features they’re working on (or know are being
implemented) for their next games. The top
three accessibility features they cited were
basic input remapping (65%), color alternatives
(58%), and large & clear subtitles or multiple
volume controls (52% each).
65%
58%
52%
52%
50%
49%
45%
41%
37%
28%
28%
27%
24%
22%
20%
19%
19%
16%
15%
14%
13%
13%
13%
12%
8% Basic input remapping
Color alternatives
Large & clear subtitles
Multiple volume controls Clear text
Difficulty levels Large text
Camera comfort
Full input remapping Stick inversionSave anytimeStereo sound
Playable without rapid button presses Playable with keyboard onlyPlayable with buttons onlyPlayable with mouse only
Playable without button holds Mono sound
Surround sound
Chat speech-to-text & text-to-speech (a u d ito r y)
Playable with touch only Narrated menus
Chat speech-to-text & text-to-speech (visual) Playable without touch controls Other
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // ENGINES, PLATFORMS, & FEATURES | 37

THE BUSINESS OF GAMES
5
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY | 38

2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // THE BUSINESS OF GAMES | 39
RESPONDENTS WORK MORE
ON [PREMIUM] GAMES
The type of game a studio makes can dramatically change
the way they finance, market, and profit from their product,
so we wanted to know the ones our studio workers and solo
developers are working on. Three-fourths (74%) of survey
takers reported working on premium games, while 26% said
they work in the free-to-play market. AAA workers were more
likely to be in free-to-play (33%) than those at older (20%) or
newer (13%) indie studios.
For full transparency, this may be more an indication of the
respondents our survey received than a true representation
of the industry. This year’s survey had a higher number of
workers from indie studios than those from AAA companies.
In addition, free-to-play studios are more prevalent outside
of the United States, and this year’s survey had a higher
concentration of. US-based respondents.

How is your game monetized?
(CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
PREMIUM GAMESFREE-TO-PL AY GAMES
When it comes to monetization, we wanted to gauge the different models for
premium games vs. free-to-play. For premium games, digital downloads (90%) were
the most common monetization model, followed by physical copies (44%), DLCs
and updates (40%), and paid in-game cosmetics (18%). For free-to-play games, the
top monetization models were paid in-game currency (68%), paid in-game cosmetics
(62%), season or battle passes (46%), and paid item crates or “gacha” mechanics (25%).
Only five total respondents (0.4%) reported using blockchain-driven monetization
models, and four of them were in free-to-play games. In the wake of the Epic Games vs. Apple judicial ruling, which declared that Apple\

could not collect fees on purchases made outside apps (nor stop developers from
pointing users to outside-app purchases), we wanted to see where mobile games
were encouraging users to buy content. According to about 170 mobile game
workers, their most widely offered space for purchases is the in-app platform
marketplace (72%). Over half (55%) said they guide users to third party marketplaces
like the Apple Store and one-third (37%) offer an outside website or storefront.
0 10 20 3040 5060 7080 90
90%
44%
18%
13%
14% 11%
40%
0%
5%
4%3%
2%
2%
2%
0% 0%
0%
62%
68%
46%
0%
0%
0% 1%
14%21%
23%
3%
11% 25% Premium game (digital download
Premium game (physical copy Paid in-game cosmetics DLC / Updates
Paid in-game currency
Season pass / Battle pass
Inclusion in a paid subscription library
(e.g. Xbox Game Pass)
Paid item crates / Gacha
Paid in-game advantages
Paid in-game subscription option
Community-funded (e.g. Patreon, Kickstarter) In-game product placement
Premium tier subscriptions (e.g. Fallout 76)
Blockchain-driven monetization
Other
010 20 3040 5060 7080 90
2026 STATE OF THE GAME INDUSTRY // THE BUSINESS OF GAMES | 40
In-app platform
marketplace
In-app third party
marketplace
(e.g. Apple Store)
Outside website
or storefr