Recent Developer Survey is Bad News for Xbox
A new survey polling game developers has shed some light on how they feel about different consoles and platforms, and it could spell bad news for the Xbox family of consoles. While nothing is set in stone, if this survey mirrors the overall attitude of game developers in the industry as a whole, it could mean problems for Xbox gamers going forward.
The Xbox is in a bit of an odd position right now, with much of the company’s focus in recent times being on its games and the ability to play them anywhere, rather than being limited to an Xbox console. Xbox officials have downplayed the concerns of gamers, with the president of Xbox explaining that hardware is still crucial to the Xbox brand, and stating that the development of the next generation of Xbox consoles is already underway. However, now fans of the brand may have other concerns.
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Video Game Developer Survey May Mean Trouble for Xbox
The GDC Festival of Gaming, formerly the Game Developers Conference, is an annual event that’s recently unveiled its State of the Game Industry report for the year. The survey polled over 2,300 professionals working in the game industry on a wide range of topics impacting gaming, including asking what platforms were most interesting to them right now. The list included everything from standard consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X to handheld systems like the Switch, ROG Xbox Ally, and Steam Deck, as well as more uncommon game platforms like Netflix. With the results divided into 22 systems or system categories, the Xbox Series X/S consoles only earned 20% of the votes, coming in fifth overall. Though it doesn’t mean that the Xbox is necessarily going to see fewer games, the stance of surveyed developers doesn’t bode well, either.
While 20% might not sound too bad considering the competition the Xbox consoles are up against these days, the difference in interest levels is significant. PCs topped the list, with 80% of developers expressing interest, while the Xbox’s main competitor, the PlayStation 5, held a respectable 40%. The Steam Deck on its own saw 40% as well, with the Nintendo Switch 2 right behind it at 39%. Meanwhile, the Xbox One saw 9% of the vote, the ROG Xbox Ally received 7%, and Xbox Cloud Gaming got just 5%.
Of course, this survey only polled a tiny percentage of the number of developers actively working in the industry, so it may not be indicative of the industry as a whole. However, it does compound recent concerns that players have had regarding the future of Xbox as a home console. In January alone, two upcoming Xbox games, 1348 Ex Voto and Nickelodeon Splat Pack have seen their Xbox releases canceled. 1348 Ex Voto suddenly announced plans to release as a PlayStation 5 console exclusive, despite previously having been slated for Xbox. Nickelodeon Splat Pack, on the other hand, is releasing on nearly every system except Xbox, with PS5, Switch, and PC versions.
Xbox wasn’t immune to bad news last year, either. Contraband, the planned Xbox-exclusive game from Just Cause creator Avalanche Studios, was revealed way back in 2021, put on hold in August 2025, and then canceled outright later the same year. While Xbox Game Pass is still doing well, some developers have begun to express concerns regarding the loss of retail revenue in some games that are added to the program, potentially impacting future games. Meanwhile, a founding member of the original Xbox expressed worry regarding Microsoft moving its focus away from hardware, while former Blizzard and Microsoft exec Mike Ybarra made a controversial comment in mid-2025, going so far as to call Xbox consoles dead.
Xbox hardware sales revenue dropped 25% according to the company’s most recent earnings call, which likely isn’t helping the opinion of developers regarding the system. It’s not clear if Xbox hardware sales will see a resurgence either before or after the release of the next generation of hardware, or if more game cancellations will impact the systems, but for now, gamers and developers seem concerned about these recent developments.
Source: GDC Festival of Gaming (via PureXbox)