JetBrains

The 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.

The report demonstrates that real‑time 3D engines and advanced asset pipelines are now integral to more than half of organizations beyond traditional game development, spanning media, automotive, education and healthcare. The primary drivers are the demand for high‑quality visual tools that can be reused across projects and the need to streamline workflows amid increasingly complex, remote‑enabled teams. Funding constraints, collaboration bottlenecks—particularly large‑file transfer—and limited staffing emerge as the top challenges.

Collaboration pain points persist, with 31 % of studios citing slow large‑file transfer and 38 % reporting remote coordination issues. Unreal Engine dominates usage at 63 %, while Unity follows at 47 %. Perforce Helix Core leads version‑control adoption (51 %) across industries, with GitHub and GitLab trailing. These figures underscore the necessity of robust pipelines that support rapid asset sharing, remote teamwork and efficient version control.

Asset management practices vary by studio size: AAA studios largely build custom tools (≈ 19 %) to handle extensive IP libraries, diverting resources from core development; indie and mid‑size studios rely more on market solutions, with 32 % using Perforce Helix Core and only 17 % developing in‑house tools. Generative AI is widely adopted, with over 65 % of respondents using an AI tool—ChatGPT being the most common (47 %). Indie studios adopt AI more aggressively than AAA studios, and usage patterns differ by industry. Cloud development is also prevalent: 49 % run cloud servers, led by AWS (30 %) and Azure (18 %), while hybrid or on‑premises setups are rare.

Hiring priorities across gaming, media, education, engineering and automotive sectors emphasize specialized experience (91–100 %) and strong portfolios (75–94 %). General cross‑functional skills such as rapid learning and presentation abilities are valued but to a lesser extent (54–82 %). The data indicate that firms prioritize deep technical expertise and demonstrable work, reflecting a continued focus on specialized knowledge across all sectors.