After the Layoffs

Years of mass layoffs across the games industry are producing an unexpected and paradoxical outcome. According to the latest Salary and Satisfaction Survey by games recruitment specialist Skillsearch, around 40% of respondents have been laid off at least once — and more than half of those (22% of all respondents) lost their jobs within the past year alone. A further 28% work at studios that made redundancies, even if they were personally spared.

Why It Matters

Conventional wisdom holds that mass layoffs create a buyer's market for employers: skilled workers flood the talent pool, and job insecurity curbs appetite for switching jobs or pushing for higher pay. The reality on the ground tells a very different story.

Hiring managers report that while some opportunities have emerged from studio closures and restructures, finding skilled, experienced staff remains extremely difficult. The survey reveals why: 44% of respondents said they are considering leaving the games industry altogether because of the ongoing redundancies. Job insecurity has passed a tipping point, prompting workers to look beyond the games sector for stability.

The breakdown by role is stark. More than 60% across every sector would consider hunting for jobs outside the games industry — rising to over 70% for programmers and over 80% for business operations staff. The very people who build and sustain studios are quietly planning their exits.

How Did We Get Here

The industry's restructuring wave began in earnest in late 2022, as publishers that had over-hired during the pandemic boom scrambled to cut costs amid a cooling market. EA, Unity, Microsoft's gaming division, and Epic Games were among the major names announcing layoffs numbering in the hundreds to thousands. The drumbeat of closures and cuts continued through 2023 and 2024, with dozens of independent studios shuttering entirely.

On the remote work front, the survey suggests the debate has largely resolved itself without controversy. Fully remote work is not the norm, but neither is five-days-a-week office commuting. Most workers across all sectors now work remotely at least a few days a week — a hybrid standard that has settled quietly into place. That context makes blanket return-to-office mandates not just unpopular, but genuinely out of step with standard industry practice.

What Comes Next [Expert Analysis]

The survey findings point to a structural dilemma: the industry may be trading long-term capability for short-term cost savings.

If the threatened talent exodus materializes, studios' capacity to develop future projects is likely to be weakened significantly. Game development depends heavily on accumulated expertise and team cohesion — gaps left by departing veterans cannot simply be filled by new hires.

The broader erosion of trust also risks deterring the next generation of developers. If aspiring creators see the games industry as unstable and redirect their careers toward software, finance, or AI, the talent pipeline itself could thin over the medium to long term — a self-reinforcing decline.

The 80%-plus figure for business operations staff deserves particular attention. These are the people who keep studios running efficiently and sustainably, often invisibly. Their departure could destabilize organizations faster than the loss of development talent alone.

Ultimately, the survey's core message is clear: restoring structural trust in employment stability — not simply competing on salary — is the prerequisite for reversing the industry's talent crisis.