2024 was a record-breaking year for layoffs in the gaming industry. After all, 15,631 people were laid off during this period of change for the sector.
Now, Amir Satvat, Director of Business Development at Tencent, has given us his estimates for 2025. Over the last 12 months, 9,175 employees have lost their jobs. While this is a significant decrease, it is still above the 8,500 recorded in 2022.
For 2026, Satvat predicts around 7,500 layoffs across the sector. He also explained that “more than 70%, and in some years 75%, of layoffs took place in North America”, with 50% in California. AAA studios are the most affected.
Finally, while job opportunities in the video game industry are expected to continue to decline in Western Europe and North America, they will increase in Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe.
