Mass layoffs continue to undermine the stability of the gaming industry and force specialists to think about changing professions. This is the conclusion reached by analysts at the recruiting company Skillsearch in a new study.
According to the Salary and Satisfaction survey, which involved more than a thousand specialists from Europe, North America, the UK, Asia-Pacific countries and the Middle East, 44% of developers are considering leaving the video game industry precisely because of the wave of layoffs.
Statistics show the scale of the problem: in the last 12 months, 22% of respondents lost their jobs, another 12% faced layoffs earlier, and 28% observed reductions in their studios, even if they themselves were not affected. At the same time, the employment situation remains difficult — only 45% of those laid off were able to find a new job, and only 27% of them feel safe in their new position.
About 20% of specialists were looking for work for four to six months, while a third were able to find employment in one to three months. Nevertheless, 55% of respondents still have not found a new position, which explains why many are starting to consider vacancies outside the gaming industry.
These data coincide with the findings of the GDC State of the Game Industry 2026 Report, according to which every fourth developer lost their job in the last two years, and 48% of them were unable to find a job again. One of the survey participants admitted that he had experienced so many layoffs in recent years that he had lost confidence in employers.
Experts warn that the mass exodus of specialists could have long-term consequences. Reductions affect not only newcomers, but also experienced employees who are fired due to high salaries. This destroys the mentoring system, reduces the level of training of new personnel and ultimately affects the quality of games.
A telling example is Electronic Arts, which cut staff at the Battlefield series studios even despite the commercial success of Battlefield 6, the best-selling game of 2025.