A total of 44% of professionals in the gaming industry have thought about exiting the sector due to layoffs
According to a study by the games recruitment company Skillsearch, 44% of those surveyed have thought about exiting the industry due to layoffs. In Britain, 76% are either planning or considering a career change outside the sector by 2026.
The yearly Salary & Satisfaction survey gathered input from 1,000 participants from the UK, Europe, North America, APAC, and MENA areas between November 12, 2025, and February 24, 2026.
Throughout the past year, 22% of those asked experienced layoffs, while 12% faced redundancy over a year ago. Prime reasons for these layoffs include cuts in investor funding, budget reductions, and insufficient projects.
A minority of 35% reported having no impact from layoffs, whereas 28% stated their workplaces underwent layoffs, but they personally remained untouched.
Among those who lost their jobs, 45% have since found new positions, but only 27% feel secure in their current roles.
When looking at job search durations, 21% managed to find work in under a month, 33% took one to three months, 20% took four to six months, 19% needed seven to twelve months, and 8% required over a year.
Art departments faced significant layoffs, along with senior roles, companies with over 250 workers, and individuals with over ten years in the field. The UK emerged as the most affected nation.
Numerous professionals in main regions are exploring new roles for 2026, with job security, salary, and challenging projects as key considerations. If a job promises higher pay with a relocation package, 53% would consider moving, although relocation packages have deterred 38% from accepting offers because they seemed insufficient.
Furthermore, nearly half of the game industry workforce expresses worries over rising AI utilization, with 64% believing it hampers creativity.
The main worries concerning AI include job security, creative authenticity loss, and ethical deployment. Nonetheless, benefits identified include heightened efficiency, reduced costs, and increased productivity from smaller teams.
Over 50% of participants confirmed using AI tools in their operations, with 29% indicating their firms have ethical guidelines for AI use.
Regarding workforce demographics, men dominate the industry at 74%, and the prevalent age groups are 25-34 (39%) and 35-44 (37%). Permanent employment accounts for 66% of respondents, and nearly half hold more than ten years of industry experience.
In the UK, representing 43% of total responses, C-suite positions earn an average of £199,833, directors make £110,442, and entry-level roles receive £30,357. The roles fetching the highest pay at the director level are in programming and business operations, at £130,963 and £112,495, respectively.