Learn how devs are adapting to face change in the new 2025 Unity Gaming Report

Each year, we kick off GDC by launching our annual Unity Gaming Report, which identifies key trends backed by unique data from nearly 5 million Unity developers, global surveys, and insights from 20 studios.

It’s all too clear how incredibly hard the past few years have been for our industry. So this year, the 2025 Unity Gaming Report focuses on how developers are strategically navigating the challenges of this moment. The report puts devs front and center with a deep dive into the plans and tactics that game studios of all kinds are adopting to thrive and grow. The report also includes the perspectives of developers from 20 different studios, creating a snapshot of the industry today and a sense of the future.

The developers we spoke to are putting safety first, with strategies that limit their exposure to risk: they’re staying small and nimble; diversifying the types of games they build within popular formats like multiplayer; prioritizing trusted platforms; bringing players bigger worlds and more content; and they’re turning to time-saving tools – but cautiously.

5 trends for game development in 2025

The gaming report outlines five high-level game development trends, backed by 30 interactive data charts tracking micro-trends and framed with insights from 20 game studios.

Trend #1: Devs are managing risk by reducing costs.

Deepening a trend that we saw last year, studios are continuing to face uncertainty by doing more with less. Last year’s report highlighted how devs squeezed more value out of their work by bringing games to more platforms, tapping already-popular IPs, and stretching the longevity of their games. This year, devs say they’re also turning to new tech to boost efficiency, seeking out new markets, strategically staying small, and avoiding debt.

• 45% of respondents say they see efficiency tools as a primary strategy for success.
• In a survey, 24% of devs say they refuse to take on debt to limit risk exposure.

“We try to have developers on board who can handle multiple professions in their field at once or who are willing to learn more. We always strive to get the most out of people and help them grow,” explains Justin Miersch, founder and game/level designer at 314 Arts. “To be even more agile and efficient, we will try to keep the team size as small as possible.”

Trend #2: Studios are experimenting with different multiplayer setups.

Multiplayer remains hugely popular across studio sizes and game genres – 64% of the devs we spoke to said they’re working on online multiplayer or couch co-op games. This year, devs are offering players novel ways to play together as they explore new media, formats, and features for networked play.

• 27% of surveyed devs say they’re trying to create cooperative, social, or lighthearted experiences in their multiplayer games.
• 69% of devs say they’re building asymmetrical multiplayer experiences.

“Social gameplay – whether it’s cooperating to survive or screaming at your friend for leaving you behind – turns mechanics into memories,” says Benjamin Lavender, technical director at Kinetic Games. “Phasmophobia works because investigating ghosts isn’t just about what’s happening in the game – it’s about how your group reacts to it. Those moments of panic, laughter, or clutch teamwork make for an experience people want to come back to.”

Trend #3: Devs are sticking with trusted platforms.

Platform reach has always been a tried-and-tested strategy to extend the ROI and expand the player base of a game. Some studios report being cautious about investing energy into porting their games to untested platforms – but nobody wants to miss out on the next big thing.

• 90% of devs surveyed report launching a recent game on mobile, with desktop just behind at 80%.
• 25% cite concerns around monetization and the lack of a marketplace for formats like web games.

“A lot is up in the air for 2025,” says Remy Siu, the founder, CEO, and creative director of sunset visitor 斜陽過客. “Keep up-to-date as much as possible with how things are changing on Steam, and with the platforms, with publishers, with social media, as much as you can.”

Trend #4: Games are getting bigger.

The video game market is competitive, and big games can seem to offer players more value. Whether they feature vast sandbox realms to explore, endless levels, or non-stop updates and events, games are bigger than ever.

• Build sizes are on the rise – the average Unity project has grown by 67% since 2022.
• 88% of devs say that overall, play times are on the rise in their games.

“It’s not about the size as such. It’s less about big game worlds, and more about liking the kinds of play we can get out of large populations,” says Raph Koster, CEO of Playable Worlds, about why big games have been an enduring fascination for him. “MMOs offer a wholly different canvas from games with smaller populations. You can do things with economies and trade, with politics and PvP, and just all the dynamics that emerge from putting tons of people into a persistent environment.”

Trend #5: Devs are looking to tech to keep projects on track.

Tech tools offer one of the best ways to stay lean and efficient, but teams can also waste time R&Ding new solutions that don’t pan out. Tried-and-testing dev ops and data management remain popular efficiency enhancers, but the biggest changes in dev tooling are AI-powered.

• 96% of studios surveyed say they’re using AI tools in select workflows.
• 79% of respondents report feeling positive about AI tools in game development.

“We keep an eye out for new tools that might increase productivity in our pipelines. With a smaller team size we can’t always look to build things from scratch,” says Michael Bastiaens, a 3D artist at Black Salt Games. “Tools and software evolve pretty quickly in game development and it's definitely worth the time to investigate things that can reduce costs and time.”

This post offers just a taste of the full report, where you can find 30 charts’ showing original data, qualitative insights from more than 20 successful game developers, and predictions about where the industry’s headed next.

You can also join us tomorrow, March 18, at 12 pm ET / 9 am PT / 4 pm GMT for Harnessing major trends in gaming, a livestream unpacking the report, with special guests from Queensguard Games, MY.GAMES, and CodeMonkey. Next week, you can read a special blog post about the report that zooms in to focus on specific predictions from top studios.

Check out the 2025 Unity Gaming Report, and stay tuned for more insights from our interviews with developers about industry trends here on the Unity Blog.