Game publishers are approaching 2025 with clear priorities around project genres, developer experience, and funding strategies. A recent survey of more than 25 PC and console publishers, including 505 Games, Dotemu/Focus, Kepler, and Paradox, reveals these trends and shows what publishers want in new projects.
Game Publisher Trends for 2025
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Game Publisher Trends for 2025
The survey shows that certain genres consistently attract publisher interest. City-building games and survival games top the list, each drawing interest from roughly 72 percent of respondents. Roguelike or roguelite titles and cooperative games rank close behind, each appealing to around 69 percent of publishers. Horror games also remain in demand, with 66 percent of publishers marking them as desirable. Publishers are clearly prioritizing genres that emphasize replayability, strategic depth, and collaborative or immersive gameplay.
Developer Experience and Studio Size
Publishers are open to working with developers who lack prior experience. Around 76 percent of buyers say they're willing to work with studios that haven't released a title before. Only 28 percent of publishers show interest in medium-sized or larger studios, defined as those with 25 or more full-time employees. Smaller or newer teams have better odds of securing publisher attention in 2025.
Game Publisher Trends for 2025
Funding Trends and Investment Strategies
Publisher budgets show a clear split. Most publishers don't set a minimum project cost, making them accessible to smaller teams. A notable minority focus exclusively on projects that meet a minimum funding threshold, often around 1 million Euros, which typically targets AA or higher-scale titles.
Dotemu CEO Cyrille Imbert explains that the shift toward smaller upfront investments reflects several factors. Increased competition in both PC and console markets has pushed buyers to minimize risk by funding lower-cost projects. The rise of successful "million-seller" games, particularly on platforms like Steam, has proven that small-budget projects can achieve commercial success.
Steam Top Games (Source: Alinea Analytics)
Three Key Factors Influencing Trends
Imbert points to three key factors driving this trend. First, development tools such as Unreal Engine 5 have made game creation more accessible for small teams. Second, player preferences are shifting toward experiences that emphasize fun, depth, accessibility, and replayability rather than high-end graphics or complex narratives.
Third, the market for high-production-value games has become more competitive, making it harder for multi-million dollar projects to gain visibility and commercial traction. Despite the trend toward lower upfront budgets, publishers continue to maintain active pipelines and make selective investments, indicating ongoing opportunities for developers.
Final Thoughts
The outlook for game publishing in 2025 emphasizes smaller-scale projects, highly replayable genres, and openness to new and less experienced developers. In-person events such as Paris Game Biz aim to facilitate direct connections between developers and publishers, providing access to relevant market data and structured matchmaking opportunities. For studios seeking publisher partnerships, understanding these trends and aligning project proposals accordingly may increase the likelihood of securing funding and support in the coming year.
