GDC Survey: One-Third of Game Developers Faced Layoffs Over the Past Two Years
Over half of the laid-off specialists still have not found new employment, and 65% of developers reported a decline in mental health due to their professional activities.
The organizers of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) published the 15th State of the Game Industry report, based on responses from over 2,600 game industry professionals from various countries.
According to the study, 34% of survey participants faced layoffs over the past two years, while in the U.S., this figure reached 39%. More than half of those who lost their jobs (54%) have still not been able to find new employment.
Generative AI tools are used by 40% of respondents—4 percentage points higher than the previous year. The technology is most commonly employed for brainstorming (73%), data analysis (62%), and code generation (56%).
The primary development platform remains the PC, with 81% of respondents focusing on it. Among consoles, the PlayStation 5 leads with 45%, followed by Xbox Series X/S (37%). The most popular engines are Unreal Engine (35%) and Unity (28%).
The study also revealed issues with working conditions. 86% of developers worked more than 40 hours per week at least once in the past year, and 65% reported that their professional activities negatively impacted their mental health. Among U.S. participants, 80% support the creation of labor unions.
