Industry Survey Reveals Discoverability as Major Hurdle for Game Publishers and Developers

According to the Annual G2M Video Games Marketing Survey 2025 conducted by Bastion, a creative comms and marketing agency, discoverability has emerged as the most significant obstacle that publishers and developers are expected to face this year. The survey, published on August 14, 2025, gathered insights from 75 developers and publishers worldwide, exploring their company structure, games, marketing approaches, and the challenges they anticipate in the future. G2M director Clare Hawkins noted that the games marketing landscape is not only evolving but also accelerating, with marketers being required to achieve more with limited resources, emphasizing the importance of agility for success. The survey revealed that 63.9% of respondents have over a decade of publishing experience, yet the same percentage have marketing teams consisting of only one to five people, indicating a significant strain on talent. Marketing team sizes have remained relatively stable, with 44.4% of companies reporting no change, 33.3% experiencing a decrease, and 22.2% seeing an increase. However, the majority of companies, at 44.4%, are undecided about hiring for their marketing teams in the next 12 months, while 40% have ruled out any hiring plans. In contrast, agency spending has increased, with 38.9% of respondents indicating an increase in agency spending over the last year. Only 27.8% of marketers reported a decrease in agency spend, marking a 14.2% drop from the previous year. A significant 33.3% of respondents stated that their agency spending remains unchanged, representing a 13% increase from 2024. When asked if their current budget is sufficient to meet their marketing objectives, only 36.1% of respondents agreed, down from 60% in 2024. The survey also found that 81% of respondents have a marketing budget of less than £500,000 for major titles, representing a 17.7% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, the survey revealed that 31% of companies identified discoverability as their biggest challenge last year, and 94.4% believe it will continue to be the most significant challenge over the next 12 months. Discoverability is described as the industry's 'Achilles' heel' by Hawkins. Bastion managing director Ravi Vijh emphasized that discoverability is no longer just about visibility but about standing out in a crowded market. The survey showed a shift towards organic and community-led content, with 25% of respondents considering organic influencer marketing to be the most effective channel. In contrast, paid media, which was previously considered the most effective, is now seen as the least effective. The report highlights a significant shift towards more authentic and community-driven marketing strategies, with marketers turning to trusted agency partners to deliver bold, performance-driven creative content at scale.