GDC Reveals Developers Are Increasingly Interested in Nintendo Switch and PC Gaming

The GDC’s latest State of the Game Industry report reveals that PC game development is more popular than ever before. And respondents are reportedly more interested in creating games for the Switch than last year.

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It’s been a little less than a year since Nintendo launched the Nintendo Switch, but a new report reveals that the console is already incredibly popular with game developers. The Nintendo Switch was the third most popular platform among game developers, according to a report from the Game Developers Conference.

Interest is significantly increasing in creating a game for the Nintendo Switch, according to the GDC’s annual State of the Game Industry survey findings. In 2018, 36 percent of all developers surveyed said the Nintendo Switch was one platform they felt most interested in as a developer, and 15 percent of all developers believed their next game would launch on Switch. In comparison, only five percent were planning to work on a Nintendo Switch game in the future last year.

Survey respondents also reported relatively decent sales on the Nintendo Switch. Among respondents who published a game for the Nintendo console, 28 percent said Switch sales have been “greater than average” compared to other platforms. Meanwhile, 23 percent reported Switch sales “have been average,” and only 16 percent reported less than average sales. So at the very least, 51 percent of all respondents either had an average or above average sales experience with the Switch.

The GDC’s survey report also reveals that developers are increasingly interested in PC gaming, but mobile development is waning. 50 percent of all developers surveyed reportedly developed their last finished game on PC, with 32 percent creating a mobile game for smartphones or tablets. But in 2017, only 45 percent of developers launched their latest game for PC or Mac, whereas 35 percent were developing a title for mobile gaming. Mobile might still be a popular platform, but developers seem to be moving away slowly from smartphones and tablets.

Case in point: 60 percent of all respondents are working on a PC game, whereas 36 percent are developing a mobile title. But those numbers are significantly different from 2017’s results. A year ago, only 53 percent of developers were interested in PC or Mac development, whereas 38 percent were developing a title for smartphone and tablets. PC gaming is certainly becoming more popular than ever before, whereas mobile titles may have some fierce competition with other platforms in the coming year ahead.

For more information, check out the GDC’s full State of the Game Industry 2018 report on the study’s official website. The report is part of a larger initiative tied to the annual Games Developers Conference, which begins March 19 and runs until March 20.


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Author
Ana Valens
Ana Valens is an Editorial Strategist for GAMURS. Her work has been seen at Dot Esports, The Mary Sue, We Got This Covered, and The Daily Dot. She specializes in reporting on LGBTQ experiences in the gaming industry, with a particular focus on trans rights. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.