Real-time 3D engines are expanding into non-traditional sectors. This diffusion is accompanied by persistent funding constraints and collaboration bottlenecks.
Page 7 of the reportUnreal Engine remains the market leader in engine usage. Perforce Helix Core dominates version control at 51% with widespread adoption of Git-based solutions.
Page 15 of the reportGenerative AI adoption is widespread across organizations. ChatGPT leads usage, particularly among indie and mid-size studios compared to AAA studios.
Page 23 of the reportAsset management remains inefficient, with AAA and indie teams diverting core development resources to custom-built solutions. Indie teams more frequently use Perforce compared to AAA studios.
Page 21 of the reportThe report demonstrates that game technology is increasingly permeating non‑traditional sectors, with half of surveyed teams employing real‑time 3D engines beyond game development. This cross‑industry diffusion is accompanied by persistent funding constraints and collaboration bottlenecks, notably slow file transfers, remote coordination difficulties, and asset feedback challenges. The data reveal a trend toward consolidating toolsets to enhance productivity amid economic uncertainty and the rise of remote work.
Engine usage remains dominated by Unreal Engine (63 %) while Unity follows at 47 %; Godot is gaining traction mainly among indie developers. Version control practices show Perforce Helix Core leading (51 %) with widespread adoption of Git‑based solutions, though Google Drive remains a common secondary storage option.
Asset management practices differ markedly between AAA and indie studios. Custom‑built solutions are common in both, yet 23 % of AAA teams and 17 % of indie studios rely on them, diverting resources from core development. Indie teams more frequently use Perforce (55 %) compared to AAA studios (3 %). Generative AI adoption is high, with 65 % of respondents using an organizational AI tool; ChatGPT leads at 47 %, especially among indie/mid‑size studios (50 % versus 26 % in AAA). Other AI tools such as Midjourney, DALL‑E, and GitHub Copilot also see notable usage.
Cloud infrastructure is embraced by nearly half of respondents (49 %), with AWS leading at 30 % and Azure at 18 %; hybrid cloud adoption remains minimal (6 %).
Talent acquisition trends underscore a premium on specialized experience (≈95–100 %) and continuous learning ability (≈71–82 %), while presentation skills and portfolio strength, though important, receive comparatively lower emphasis. These findings highlight a shift toward adaptable, skill‑rich talent pools across highly technical industries.