GDC Says 33 Percent of Surveyed US-Based Game Industry Employees Have Been Laid Off in Last 2 Years

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As a long-time gaming fan, it’s been really disheartening to see so many lay-offs happening at game studios lately. It feels like we’re constantly hearing about more people losing their jobs. A recent report from the Game Developer’s Conference actually backs that up – they surveyed over 2,300 people in the industry, and a full 33% of those in the US said they or someone they knew had been affected by lay-offs in just the last two years. It doesn’t seem like things are going to get better anytime soon, honestly.

Layoffs haven’t been much different in other countries, with 28% of workers losing their jobs in the past two years. An additional 17% experienced layoffs just in the last year. The report suggests the actual number of layoffs is probably even higher, as it doesn’t include instances where the same person was laid off more than once.

Nearly half of those laid off (48%) are still looking for work, and over a third (36%) haven’t yet found new positions within the gaming industry.

The report surveyed 450 people who had experienced job loss due to company closures, mergers, or acquisitions in the past year. Interestingly, about 31% of those laid off weren’t clear on why it happened. The survey also found that employees at well-established companies and older independent teams were more often affected by acquisitions, whereas newer studios were more likely to simply close down.

Several factors contributed to recent job cuts. According to a survey, 43% of those laid off cited company restructuring as the reason, while 32% lost their jobs when projects were cancelled. One person pointed out that company leaders failed to recognize the temporary nature of the growth seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Company leaders didn’t realize the surge in business during the pandemic wouldn’t last, and they made too many acquisitions before the company itself was bought. Now, investors are demanding immediate profits to put into the latest trend – generative AI – which has created a much tighter budget.

One person described a troubling trend: leaders with no development experience are making drastic, poorly-informed decisions, essentially dismantling their companies and then expecting continued profits from the wreckage.

European labor unions are concerned about possible job cuts, particularly after Ubisoft announced changes to its structure and offered severance packages. In response, French unions representing Ubisoft Paris employees – Solidaires Informatique, STVJV, and CFE CGC – have asked workers to refuse to work when CEO Yves Guillemot visits the studio on February 3rd, as part of the company’s cost-cutting efforts.

Unions are urging Ubisoft Paris employees to protest against their boss, Yves Guillemot, due to his alleged mistreatment of workers. A pamphlet states that employees should stop working and gather outside the office if he enters the building, effectively telling him he’s not welcome until the situation improves.

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2026-01-30 19:11