At game development conferences, a pattern is starting to become unavoidable. Console pitches are increasingly being skipped entirely by independent developers, the type that operate in two-person studios, ship games from converted garages, and make a living on thin margins. It’s not that they don’t want console gamers. Because the method of getting to them has quietly ceased to make sense.
The figures support this in a way that ought to unnerve Microsoft and Sony. Eighty percent of developers are currently working on PC games, according to the Game Developers Conference’s 2025 State of the Game Industry report. Just a year ago, that percentage was 66%. Only 38% went to the PlayStation 5, while 34% went to the Xbox Series X/S. These gaps are significant for independent studios considering where to allocate their limited resources.
Access plays a role in this change. For a five-person studio producing a puzzle game or a narrative role-playing game, the certification procedures, licensing costs, platform holder approval, and technical requirements involved in getting a game onto a traditional console can seem excessive. In contrast, Steam enables developers to publish with comparatively low barriers, reach a large audience, and make rapid iterations after launch. This flexibility is the difference between shipping and not shipping for many small studios, making it more than just a small convenience.
However, where PC gaming is actually taking place has recently made this particularly fascinating. When Valve’s Steam Deck debuted in 2022, it subtly changed developers’ perceptions of the “PC player.” The Steam Deck was specifically mentioned by about 44% of GDC survey participants who chose “Other” as their target platform. It’s not a coincidence.
Without requiring a new ecosystem, new storefronts, or developer permission slips, the device demonstrated that a handheld could run a serious PC library. Independent studios took notice. A Steam-optimized game is already compatible with the Deck. All of a sudden, portable gaming stopped being a separate project and instead became a bonus.
It seems like independent developers have always desired this kind of relationship with hardware. Build once, go everywhere. In the past, console makers, especially Sony and Nintendo, have intentionally made that challenging. Large publishers with negotiating power typically benefit from exclusivity agreements, walled gardens, and tiered support programs. Seldom do independent studios have that kind of power. The Steam Deck completely avoids that dynamic, as do handheld PCs in general.
It’s important to acknowledge that there are some difficulties with this change. Not all independent games are optimized for the ergonomics of a portable screen, battery life is still a real limitation, and handheld PC hardware varies among devices. There have also been some setbacks in the larger handheld PC market. The Steam Deck has outsold most of the competition combined, at least according to most estimates, thanks to its more measured pricing. In contrast, competing devices from ASUS and Lenovo launched at premium prices that turned off many buyers.
Even so, it’s difficult to regard this as a passing fad given how it has developed over the last few years. While console gaming decreased by 1% in 2024, PC gaming as a whole increased by 4%. In 2024 alone, almost 19,000 games were released on Steam. These numbers don’t point to a retreating platform. They recommend one that is now the standard for developers who wish to be in charge of their own work.
The console will remain in place. Both mainstream audiences and large publishers still require it. However, what about independent developers on a tight budget who are creating thoughtful, smaller-scale games? The math has changed. An alternative that is becoming more difficult to argue against has been created by open platforms, flexible distribution, and the unanticipated rise of handheld PC gaming. The console’s hold on autonomous development may have quietly and permanently loosened at this point.
