The gaming industry’s layoffs impacted thousands of developers last year, spanning studios like EA, Xbox, PlayStation, Embracer Group, and more.

As the industry prepares to leave the trend of layoffs behind, a new survey highlights just how tough 2024 was for the entire industry. As per the survey, about one in ten developers were laid off last year.

Why it matters: The gaming landscape has made it incredibly difficult for professionals to stay free of concerns about potential job cuts. This figure once again emphasizes the seriousness of the situation.
No Major Publisher Was Safe From Job Cuts Last Year
The survey in question was conducted by GDC and involved a total of 3,000 developers across the indie and AAA space. This sample size was selected to give a broad overview of gaming’s current state.

The same survey showed 7% of developers were laid off in 2023, and the figure rose to 11% in 2024. Elsewhere, about 41% of respondents, or 1230 developers, stated that layoffs impacted them in one way or another.

4% of the developers also stated their studios were shut down. As per the participants, the major factors for the high layoff rates included poor management, declining revenues, and more.
Embracer Group Alone Laid off Thousands of Staff Members
However you look at it, 2024 was an extremely challenging year for everyone involved in the gaming landscape.

While there’s no telling how 2025 will turn out, developers will certainly hope for a more stable year, particularly because of releases like GTA 6, which should help the market rebound in meaningful ways.