Even if making videogames is seen as a dream job to many, it's not an easy one. Strict deadlines, crunch time, tough working conditions, endless bug testing, and the ever present danger of angering your community of fans make the process a complicated one at times. One thing that makes developing a bit easier though is making games for PC. According to a recent survey of some 4,000 conducted at the Games Developers Conference, that's the platform most would prefer to develop for if given the choice.
Released as part of the State of the Game Industry 2019, via PCGamer, these stats paint an intriguing picture of what it's like to make video games in the second decade of the 21st century. Of the developers asked, some 62 percent claimed that the next game they were going to make or were making, would be released on PC. In comparison, just 32 percent said they were working on a PS4 game, while 35 percent said their game would also, or by itself, launch on mobiles and tablets.
Of those who weren't making a PC game, a full 60 percent said they were interested in making a PC game. The second most popular option was the Nintendo Switch, which commanded just 45 percent of votes.
Another interesting takeaway from the survey was what developers thought of the various platforms for selling their games. Less than half were convinced that Valve deserved the 30 percent cut it takes from games sold on its Steam platform, but more than 40 percent said they were still going to launch there.
Alternatives like itch.io, Humble Store and GoG were only used by 20 percent of respondents.
Perhaps Epic's Game Store will change that in the future.