2023 was one hell of a tough year for game developers, with over 16,000 layoffs happening across the industry—but hey, at least things are improving, right? You are now permitted to imagine me laughing nervously and looking very, very tired. 2024 was no stranger to shutdowns and layoffs like, say, the Microsoft carnage at Activision Blizzard. And, as this grim bloody summary by our own Wes Fenlon tabulates, around 15,000 were laid off in total which, while a smaller number, still smarts like hell.
But it's not just the AAA market that's been feeling it. A recent "State of the Industry" survey by GDC (that's the Game Development Conference) dug up some similar findings among its respondents which, weirdly enough, are mostly indie developers: Namely, that 1 in 10 of them were laid off.
Some things to lay out about this survey—firstly, like most surveys, it's not flawlessly constructed. As criticised by some experts like Laine Nooney, an associate professor of media, culture, and communication, the survey itself isn't too great of a measuring stick of the industry due to its overrepresentation of indie developers. For example: "There is simply no planet where half of people gainfully employed in games are self-funding their own work. This simply isn't true! It's half of [the] people who bother to fill out this survey!"
As Nooney proceeds to point out, the survey is composed of a whopping 32% indie developers out of its 3,000+ sample size—and that's not counting independent contractors, AA studios, or the ephemeral "Other (please specify)". What's more, 58% of respondents were from the United States—nary a statistically-significant squeak from countries such as Japan or China. Overall, it can be argued that this really isn't a picture of the entire industry, just a hefty geographical slice.
That's not to say the bath needs to be thrown out with the bathwater, though. 3,000 is still more than enough for a window into the industry it does capture, and I think—in this instance—the fact that just 15% of respondents were from AAA studios is interesting in itself. It's a grim warning that it's harsh out there, even if you aren't part of the sweeping tides of big-money acquisitions and overambitious live service projects.
As the survey states, 11% of respondents were personally laid off in 2024, with only 43% stating that there'd been no layoffs at their studios (a decrease from last year's 53%). Moreover, around 4% stated that their studios had been closed down entirely, so that's roughly 15% of developers out of work.
And if you're a little worried about the giving-over of studios to AI slop for creative pursuits, and what that means for games (guilty), these numbers aren't going to soothe the pit in your stomach. 19% of respondents were in narrative-driven roles, while 16% were in visual arts departments—compare that to 12% and 9% in programming/engineering and game design roles, respectively. It seems like creative fields are being hit particularly hard.
Maybe if I keep looking, I'll find some good news: 19% of respondents also weren't actually told why they were being laid off—wait a second, that, uh, that doesn't make me feel better at all, actually. Additionally, 22% of respondents were also given the ol' "restructuring" excuse which, let's face it, we all know illuminates basically nothing. In summary, it's still pretty grim out there—whether you're being plonked on the next ill-fated live service venture or working at an indie studio. Here's to a kinder 2025. Please.
