The current U.S. administration's tough policy toward illegal immigrants has in practice resulted in a wave of violent incidents.
Against this backdrop, some countries have already begun warning their citizens about the possible risks of traveling to the United States.
For video game developers, the situation is complicated by the fact that the United States has traditionally remained the venue for the largest industry events and conferences. Traveling there is not only an exchange of experience, but also key opportunities for networking, finding partners, and promoting projects, which is especially important for small indie studios.
This is reflected in the latest 2026 State of the Game Industry study prepared as part of GDC. According to a survey of more than 2,300 game industry workers, nearly a third of specialists living outside the United States have already decided against traveling to the country. Thirty-one percent of respondents said they had completely canceled plans to visit, while another 33% admitted they were seriously reconsidering their future intentions.
Among representatives of communities recognized as extremist in Russia, these figures are even higher: 47% reported canceling trips, directly linking this to the deterioration of the human rights situation. The reason is that government agencies in the United States now recognize only two sexes — male and female.