Even more layoffs announced today within the gaming & esports industry... what does that mean for the future? 👇
So far this year has seen the following public layoffs (only the big ones, not including the 10-20 smaller indie companies affected):
- Riot Games, 11% total workforce
- Unity, 25% total workforce
- Twitch, 35% total workforce
- Discord, 17% total workforce
- Microsoft (Acti Blizz & Xbox), 8.6% total workforce
- ESL FACEIT Group, 15% total workforce
- SuperMassive Games, unannounced
- PlayStation, 8% total workforce
About 10,500 people were laid off within the industry last year (2023) and 2024 Q1 alone is looking to beat that number standing right now at roughly ~8,000 people.
The specifics around why such a surge in layoffs can be debated but it's often called back to the pandemic which saw a global surge of interest in gaming products and services, leading big companies to adjust and increase in size to manage the demand - these layoffs could just be a result of that. (One possible idea at least!)
So the future... will this trend continue for 2024 and is gaming really that screwed? Not so much, at least I think. Heading into Q2 and onwards I predict a consistent incline in the related above brands that will more be in line with the ACTUAL industry growth, meaning much safer jobs and a steady increase in workforce once again.
My heart goes out to all those impacted by layoffs this year, it's an incredibly tough time, and no amount of empathy will help that but I do hope all of you talented people land similarly amazing roles.
Credit to PCGamer for the graphic, each dot showcases one person being laid off. Full article here: https://lnkd.in/g7wCB3fG
#gaming #esports #layoffs
Programming Instructor | Software Developer | Web Development | Full Stack Developer | Network Developer | Database Developer | Women's Advocate
This is why as a Software Developer i would never recommend the gaming industry for your bread and butter. Too many factors and can be a unstable business. If the client doesn't like the product, it means that you don't get paid or possibly laid off!