The 2026 Recreation Builders Convention (GDC), which has been renamed the GDC Competition of Gaming, takes place in early March. Forward of the San Francisco-based trade occasion, GDC has launched its annual survey of recreation trade developer sentiment. Over 2,300 trade professionals responded on matters starting from genAI to layoffs, offering a small snapshot of what’s happening throughout online game corporations massive and small. It’s not a reasonably image.
A majority of recreation builders now assume genAI will damage the sport trade
Again in 2024, recreation makers had been comparatively cut up on the benefits and disadvantages of the rising LLM craze. Now they’re more and more horrified by it. Final yr, 13 % of respondents thought genAI would have a optimistic impression on the sport trade. In 2026 it’s simply 7 %. As a substitute, 52 % assume the expertise could have a damaging impression, up double digits from simply 12 months in the past. Artists, storytellers, programmers–they’re all down on it. Nonetheless, precise adoption of the expertise for issues so simple as writing emails is rising.
Builders are bailing on making video games for Xbox
In accordance with the brand new survey, roughly 40 % of respondents mentioned they had been involved in making their subsequent recreation for PlayStation 5 or Change 2. Solely 20 % had been planning to convey it to Xbox Collection X/S. That’s nonetheless above Android, iOS, and the unique Change, nevertheless it’s a steep drop-off from final yr when the Xbox quantity was 34 %. PC remains to be far and away the most well-liked platform. Possibly that’s why Microsoft is pivoting to it.
Union help is surging
Over 80 % of U.S.-based builders advised the survey they help unionization, with 62 % saying they had been involved in becoming a member of one. These numbers present there’s probably room for a lot of extra recreation studios to arrange, as solely 13 % of respondents mentioned they’re really at the moment in a union. Union drives have been sweeping by Microsoft-owned subsidiaries because of a neutrality clause the corporate beforehand agreed to, however unions have struggled to take maintain at many different massive publishers like Digital Arts and 2K Video games.
A 3rd of U.S. builders mentioned they had been laid off within the final two years
That’s a devastating quantity which reveals that the total impression of the current downsizing spree will nonetheless be with the trade for years to come back. In the meantime, 17 % of respondents mentioned they had been laid off inside the final 12 months, a gentle annual enhance over the earlier two years. Even worse, almost 50 % of individuals laid off weren’t capable of finding one other job within the online game trade throughout that point.
Trump take recreation
The administration’s commerce conflict and anti-immigrant crackdown seems to be taking an actual toll on the sport trade. In accordance with the survey, 31 % of respondents canceled journey plans to the U.S. whereas one other third are at the moment reconsidering future journey. A whopping 60 % of non-U.S. trade leaders mentioned the insurance policies had negatively impacted their want to conduct enterprise primarily based within the nation. On the commerce facet, 38 % of respondents mentioned tariffs had impacted their monetary choices.
