Most reports and pundit speculation claim that the PS5 and next Xbox will release in 2020, with a small minority claiming 2021. Whatever the case, the wave of next-gen is getting close, especially if the former time frame is accurate.
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That said, surprisingly, most developers are still not working on next-gen games, and even fewer are making next-gen exclusive games, according to a new report.
The brand spanking new report comes way of GDC, which is a very reliable source for this type of information, and reveals 16 percent of all game developers are currently working on next-gen games, and only a measly two percent are working on next-gen exclusives. The latter, you would assume, is probably mostly, if not entirely, first-party Sony and Microsoft studios making launch games.
Now, it’s worth noting the sample size for this research was only 4,000 studios, which isn’t every studio under the sun, but hey, it’s pretty thorough, and presumably includes all the most notable players.
Interestingly, 37 percent of developers polled say that don’t know for a fact what systems their next game will be on. So this could mean that 16 percent is a lot more like 40 or 50 percent come a year from now.
However, the largest swath of developers are still simply working on current-gen titles, with over 46 percent claiming the game or games they are working on are exclusive to this generation.
Of course, this should all be taken with a grain of salt. That’s not too say the source isn’t reliable or the polling invalid or shoddy, but the latter is incomplete, and doesn’t paint the entire picture of the industry. But it does provide a pretty great look into the industry and the current status of next-gen. Still, things are constantly changing in game development, so if anything, these numbers can and will shift around a bit throughout the year.
Anyway, as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think or hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ to talk all things next-gen and exchange predictions. Personally, I can’t wait for next-gen. New consoles are the most exciting times of our industry. However, secretly I’m hoping they don’t come until 2021, for my wallet’s sake.
Thanks, GamingBolt.
