TLDR
- The gaming industry faced major challenges with downsizing in 2023, and the trend looks set to continue into 2024, where 56% of developers expect further cuts.
- Over a third of developers have been hit by layoffs, and quality assurance (QA) staff have been particularly hard hit, with a 22% job loss expected by 2023.
- Unity plans to lay off another 1,800 employees, and other companies such as Behavior Interactive and Thunderful have already made cuts this year.
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Sea-view
2023 has been a very difficult year for those who work in the gaming industry. Every month new reports of cuts and downsizing arrived. The trend has continued into 2024, and most game developers expect it to get worse.
According to the recently released GDC State of the Game Industry survey, 56% of developers are worried about further cuts this year. Of the more than 3,000 developers surveyed, 14% said they were very concerned, 16% said they were somewhat concerned, and 26% said they were somewhat concerned.
The survey also found that over a third of developers have been affected in one way or another by downsizing. 7% lost their jobs, 17% lost colleagues in the same department, and 11 experienced colleagues in other teams or departments lost their jobs.
Last year, the most affected were the so-called Quality Assurance (QA) employees, i.e. those who test games to eliminate errors. 22% of respondents who worked in QA lost their jobs in 2023.
One developer interviewed commented that the layoffs are a consequence of the sector growing too big and fast during the pandemic. The hope, however, is that it can lead to something good.
– Movie studios have grown too fast during the pandemic, and people are spending less money on games now that they can afford them less. Unfortunately the bubble has burst. I hope it leads to new startups that revolutionize the way we develop games and set a precedent for larger studios to follow.
In total, it is estimated that over 9,000 jobs will have been cut in the gaming industry in 2023. Back in January, Unity unveiled plans to lay off 1,800 employees. Dead By Daylight developer Behavior Interactive and Sweden’s Thunderful are other game companies that have made cuts so far this year.
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2024-01-19 08:10:37
#Game #developers #fear #downsizing