Game Dev in 2025: Excerpts From the State of Game Development Report

Anna Ruban

As we approach the midpoint of the decade, game developers face an evolving landscape shaped by shifting job security, technology choices, platform strategies, and practical AI adoption. Our State of Game Development 2025 report reveals critical insights that provide a clearer picture of where the industry is heading.

Layoffs and job security concerns

The game development sector has experienced significant turbulence. More than half of industry professionals reported experiencing layoffs within their organizations. This figure is notably higher than in previous years. Job security has sharply declined, placing game developers among the least confident in the tech industry. Studios may need to revisit their organizational strategies, hiring practices, and retention policies to foster stability.

Engine preferences: Unity still leads, but Godot is rising

Unity remains dominant among indie and mid-sized studios due to its versatility and ease of use. Unreal Engine remains a strong competitor, especially for graphics-intensive projects. However, the most notable trend is the rapid growth of Godot, an open-source engine that has become increasingly popular among indie developers and hobbyists for its flexibility, openness, and community-driven nature.

Platform priorities: Mobile and desktop dominate

Indie developers maintain their focus primarily on mobile and desktop platforms, with Android being the most targeted, closely followed by Windows and iOS. This aligns with the industry’s shift toward platforms that offer wider user bases and easier market entry points compared to traditional consoles.

IDEs and developer tools: JetBrains Rider emerges as a favorite

In 2025, JetBrains Rider emerged as the top IDE for indie developers, surpassing both Visual Studio and VS Code. Rider’s robust feature set and seamless workflow integration have made it the preferred tool for daily coding.

Practical AI adoption: From experimental to essential

AI technology has moved beyond experimentation to become a standard part of game development workflows. Nearly half of developers regularly use AI for feature implementation, and many leverage it for streamlined code reviews. ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and JetBrains AI Assistant have become staples in developers’ toolkits, while Junie, JetBrains’ AI coding agent released in April 2025, is quickly gaining popularity. AAA studios show a strong interest in incorporating AI coding agents into their pipelines.

Check out the full report to dive deeper into these game-changing trends  and leverage our data to benchmark your studio’s strategies and decisions against current industry standards.

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