Eleven % of recreation builders have been laid off...

It is a difficult time to be a developer nowadays, in line with GDC’s 2025 State of the Game Industry report that surveyed over 3,000 recreation devs and business professionals. In one of many worst years ever for recreation business job losses, 11 % of builders stated they have been let go from their positions in 2024 and 29 % noticed direct colleagues being laid off. All of that’s a part of an unfortunate trend triggered partially by consolidation that would see round 14,000 layoffs in 2024 when ultimate tallies are completed.

In the meantime, dwell service video games seem like right here to remain, regardless of the spectacular flameout of Concord and the axing of several Sony projects. One-third of AAA builders stated they’re at present engaged on dwell service video games (GaaS), with 16 % throughout your complete developer base engaged on such titles. That does not imply all of them prefer it although, as 41 % expressed that they weren’t in any respect on engaged on GaaS type video games. That strains up with a general malaise amongst avid gamers with regard to dwell service titles.

One encouraging upward pattern is in PC video games, the place 80 % of builders reported that they have been working — up massively from 66 % final yr. That might be due partially to Valve’s Steam deck, as 44 precent of devs stated they have been focused on working particularly on that platform. Browser video games are additionally on the upswing, with 16 % of respondents engaged on releases. Lastly, whereas gaming execs appear to like the potential for AI in gaming, builders hate it, with 30 % saying it is having a destructive influence on the business — up 12 % from final yr.