Average age of devs is getting higher. Number of creators over 45 is growing

80 Level recently shared a captivating piece highlighting the shifting trends in the demographics of game developers.

  1. Developers are getting older. The number of those who are 45 years old or older has tripled in the last decade.
  2. The participation of people aged 35-44 in the entire game developer community increased from 28% in 2015 to 33% in 2023.
  3. On the other side, the proportion of individuals aged 25-34 within the entire game developer community declined over the past 10 years from 58% to 36%.

One key factor contributing to this, although it’s not the sole cause, is that skilled developers are progressively opting to remain in game development studios, rather than transitioning to other industries as frequently as they used to after a specific duration.

Data regarding gender and workplace

The article also contains data showing a decreasing proportion of men among game developers.

GenderParticipation among all game developers in 2015.Participation among all game developers in 2025.
Men79%66%
Women19%25%
Different/no declaration2%9%

Despite the current round of job cuts, it’s worth mentioning that the gaming industry actually employs a greater number of people now compared to ten years ago. Consequently, it is not accurate to suggest that women and non-binary individuals have significantly displaced male workers who were previously employed in this industry.

Approximately six out of every ten game developers worldwide work in the USA, making it the country with the largest number of game industry professionals. However, over the past decade, the UK has surpassed Canada to take the second spot on this list.

CountryThe participation of game developers in relation to all industry workers worldwide in 2015.The participation of game developers in relation to all industry workers worldwide in 2025.
USA57%58%
Canada11%6%
United Kingdom6%7%

Since 2015, the types of companies where employees are now employed have evolved. Back then, most were part of AAA studios. As of now, approximately 32% work in independent (indie) studios, while 15% are in AAA teams and another 10% are in AA studios. The remaining employees hold positions that don’t generally fall under the developer role category.

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2025-03-26 02:33