One in three games industry professionals surveyed by GDC were laid off in the past two years, more than in its last report

A new survey of more than 2,600 games industry professionals found that 34% had been laid off in the past two years, up from 28% in the previous GDC survey. The findings point to worsening job insecurity among respondents, though the survey’s regional mix means they cannot by themselves show whether global industry employment is shrinking.

Among those laid off, 54% were still unemployed and 27% had applied for at least 100 jobs. Just 45% of employed respondents felt at least slightly confident their job was secure for the next year, while 81% were concerned about their future in the industry. The survey was weighted towards Western developers, with only 6% of respondents from East, South and Southeast Asia; one industry investor cited in the article argued that global employment may have grown since 2022 as jobs shifted away from North America.