The previous article explored the evolution of gamers’ behaviors over the last decade. Today, we will shift our focus to game developers and the changes in their demographics and working preferences.
Who Makes Games?
The average age of game developers has increased over the last 10 years. According to IGDA Developers Satisfaction Survey 2015 and GDC: The State of the Game Industry in 2025, the percentage of developers aged 35-44 increased from 28% to 33%, while the percentage of developers aged 25-34 decreased from 58% to 36%. Moreover, the number of game developers over 45 has more than tripled! This shift indicates a maturing industry where professionals are not only entering at older ages but also staying longer in their careers.
It’s also interesting to look at the industry’s gender distribution changes. In 2015, only 19% of all game developers were women, but the figure jumped by 6% in 2025.
The Game Development Scene
The United States has been the top location for game developers for over a decade, with 57% of all respondents working there in 2015 and 58% in 2025. According to Zippia, the average game developer salary and job availability per capita are now better in cities like Las Vegas, Henderson, and San Francisco.
Besides the US, Canada was second in popularity among respondents, with a share of 11% in 2015. However, by 2025, its figure had dropped to 6%, and the United Kingdom had taken second place.
What Game Developers Want Now
Four job roles have consistently topped the list of the most popular among game developers. Of those four, game design has really taken off, doubling in popularity from 15% to 35%. Programming/engineering became the second most popular job role, with an overall growth of 8%, while the percentage of respondents in production & team management increased by 19%.
The preference towards visual arts as a career has also grown over time. In 2015, real-time rendering engines like Unity and Unreal Engine were already influential among game developers but were less sophisticated than today. Nowadays, capabilities like real-time ray tracing and advanced lighting systems help game developers create highly detailed and realistic graphics.
Additionally, in 2015, AAA developers were generally more prominent and popular than indie developers. Despite this fact, at that time, indie game developers started gaining significant attention for their games like Rocket League, Undertale, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. These titles showed the potential for indie games to achieve mainstream success. As a result, the trend continued in 2025, and as the State of the Game Industry report states, nowadays, nearly one-third of developers (32%) are employed by indie studios; this is followed by AAA companies (15%) and AA studios (10%). The indie developers drive innovation and creativity in the gaming industry. They are open to experimenting with new technologies and game mechanics.
In our next anniversary article, we will concentrate on the top games that have captured worldwide attention throughout the decade and explain the factors that determined their success. Stay tuned to learn more about the major titles over these ten years!
