A recent survey by the Game Developers Conference (GDC) highlights the extent of job cuts in the gaming industry. According to the survey, 11 percent of employees in the industry lost their jobs in 2024. Additionally, 41 percent of the 3,000 respondents reported directly experiencing or observing layoffs in other teams.
Last year, the tech sector saw significant job cuts. The gaming industry, which had expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, was particularly affected. Almost all major companies, including Sony and Microsoft, reduced jobs. Some studios were completely shut down. According to the survey, four percent of respondents worked at studios that closed. The GDC notes in its report that this situation affects not only developers who lost their jobs but also makes it difficult for newcomers to find employment.
Another finding of the survey is the growing skepticism about the use of generative AI in game studios. While 36 percent of respondents said they were already using generative AI at work, there is a noticeable resistance to it. In the previous year’s survey, 18 percent of respondents said their companies were not interested in using generative AI. This number has increased to 27 percent.
Moreover, 30 percent of respondents believe that generative AI has a negative impact on the gaming industry, up from 13 percent the previous year. Only 18 percent see a positive impact. According to the survey report, developers are concerned about the protection of intellectual property, energy consumption, and the quality of AI-generated content. There is also a fear that AI could make more jobs redundant.
An interesting detail is that the use of AI is more common in the finance and marketing departments of gaming companies and in leadership positions, rather than in areas like programming, writing, or producing assets and graphics. Additionally, older employees are more likely to use generative AI than younger generations.
The gaming industry remains an attractive employer, especially for young people. One-third of respondents were between 25 and 34 years old, and another third were between 35 and 44 years old. Only six percent of respondents were older than 55 years. The proportion of men in the industry decreased to 66 percent, while women made up a quarter of the workforce. Six percent identified as non-binary.
Most respondents, 58 percent, worked in the USA, while only 1.3 percent were employed in Germany.
The complete report of the survey has been published by the GDC on Dropbox.