Layoffs keep hitting games developers. A third of the professionals who answered the 15th State of the Game Industry survey, run by the GDC Festival of Gaming, were laid off at some point in the past two years, Video Games Chronicle reported on November 12, 2026. More than 2,600 people from the industry around the world took part.
The key figures
- 34% were laid off in the past two years (39% in the United States), compared with 28% (33% in the US) in the report published in January
- 17% were laid off twice in that time, and 3% three or more times
- 54% of those laid off are still unemployed (59% in the US)
- 27% of those laid off applied for at least 100 jobs
- Of those laid off, 25% lost their job in the past three months and 43% between three and twelve months ago
How people feel
- 81%are concerned about their future in the industry
- 73%are not hopeful about where it is headed
- 72%of those out of work doubt they will find a job within a year
Only 45% of those in work at least slightly agree that their job is secure for the next 12 months, and 72% of those out of work are not confident they will find a new job within a year. 81% are concerned about their future in the industry, and 73% are not hopeful about where it is headed. An anonymous co-founder of an independent studio in Nevada said the next five years will be a fight over whether games stay a creative profession.
Some context
The survey leans heavily towards Western developers: only 6% of respondents came from East, South or Southeast Asia, mostly Japan. At Gamescom Dev, Amir Satvat of 1Up Ventures estimated that around 750,000 people work in games worldwide, and argued that global headcount has grown since 2022 while shifting away from North America.
This article was written with AI assistance from the sources linked above.
