One in Ten Game Developers Lost Their Jobs in 2024, GDC Report Reveals
The game industry in 2024 faced a tough year, marked by widespread layoffs that left many developers reeling. To understand the challenges and prepare for the future, the Game Developers Conference (GDC) released its 2025 State of the Game Industry report, based on a survey of over 3,000 developers.
A sobering statistic from the report revealed that 1 in 10 developers lost their jobs last year. The primary causes cited were restructuring (22%), declining revenue (18%), and market shifts or industry trends (15%). Other contributors included pandemic-related challenges, over-hiring, and corporate greed. Sadly, 19% of respondents indicated they were given no specific reason for their termination.
“In this industry, we set impossible goals and then fire everyone if they prove to be impossible. We need to apply lean and agile processes instead of shooting for the moon every single time,” one respondent commented in the report.
Departments hit hardest by layoffs included narrative (19%), production and team management (16%), visual arts (16%), programming/engineering (12%), game design (9%), and business and finance (6%).
Looking ahead, nearly 60% of respondents expressed concern about potential future layoffs, with only 30% feeling secure—down from 35% the previous year.
The full GDC report is available on the official website. Stay informed about industry trends by following 80 Level Talent on social platforms like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more.
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