The video game industry is going through a difficult time full of contrasts. On the one hand, it is a great time for gamers, who have received great titles over the last few years. On the other hand, its developers have suffered significantly due to waves of layoffs that have affected various companies, regardless of their size.
A recent survey reveals that Many developers are disappointed with the current state of the industry. For this reason, they are looking for new jobs outside of video games, since the sector is in a crisis that continually affects its creatives.
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Developers leave the video game industry due to labor crisis
2023 was a difficult year for developers, as close to 10,000 people lost their jobs in the industry. Unfortunately, this trend has strengthened since the beginning of 2024. By January of this year, there were already More than 5,000 creatives laid offand the number has continued to increase.
In recent months, Xbox has laid off 2,250 employees, while PlayStation has laid off 900 workers from several of its studios. The same has happened to several smaller companies, which have even been forced to close their doors due to lack of budget and opportunities.
According to a survey conducted by Aftermath Tech workers are not happy with the current state of the gaming industry. Most of them lost their jobs in recent years and decided to look for alternatives outside the field.
Some developers, who remained anonymous, said they studied other courses or decided to take other jobs unrelated to video games, such as cooks, bicycle repairmen, etc.
Several of them walked away from the industry altogether not only because of the waves of layoffs and the instability that exists today, but also since they were victims of toxic behavior and bullying in their jobs. In addition, they fear the effects that artificial intelligence may have in the industry in a few years.
“The gaming industry is a mess. There is way too much hype around generative AI and a general disingenuous attitude from the top executives at these companies. Creators and developers are abused left and right. The community is amazing but the direction is horrible. I’m also disillusioned with the technology in general right now and not sure what to do from here,” said one former developer.
“He was really good at what he did. He was a great designer, a great design director, he had a deep understanding of player behavior, player needs, and the business of games. It’s a joy to do something you’re really good at, and I miss that feeling. But I feel an incredible freedom in not having to rely on the whims of some tech executive to control my livelihood for the first time in a decade,” said another creative.
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