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European studio spending on external talent rose 63% in 2025, according to the Talent Signals Reshaping the Games Industry report. The increase exceeded the global growth rate of 55%, while the number of freelancers working with European studios grew by 24%. The figures point to a shifting games workforce, with studios relying more on external specialists even as workers report uncertainty about projects and job security.
European studio spending on external talent: key findings
The report was produced by Tanja Loktionova, founder of Values Value and co-founder of InGame Job. It found that freelancer income increased by 19% globally on average. However, higher average earnings did not remove concerns about stability: nearly 63% of freelancers remained worried about the reliability of their income.
Hiring remains challenging on both sides of the market. Nearly 60% of studios said they had difficulty finding qualified specialists, while 54.1% of freelancers struggled to find suitable projects. These results suggest that more external hiring does not necessarily mean that studios and available talent are easily matched.
For studios, clearly defined project scopes, timelines and payment terms can help make contract work more predictable. Freelancers can use the same details to assess whether an assignment fits their experience and availability before committing.
Job security and career development remain concerns
The survey also reflects broader employment uncertainty. Thirty per cent of respondents had experienced layoffs in the previous year, and finding a new position typically took six months. Half expected to change jobs within the following six months, while fewer than half said they were satisfied with their current roles.
Professional development was another concern. Only 26% of respondents felt they were growing in their careers, 36% reported stagnation, and 55% had received no training during the past year. For employers, making time for learning and communicating opportunities for progression may help address these concerns. Workers evaluating a role can ask about training, feedback and career paths as well as pay.
Loktionova described the findings as "a structural signal that the industry has matured past its growth-at-any-cost phase and has not yet figured out what replaces it." She also said studios appeared to be moving toward a two-tier team structure: a smaller core of directors, lead architects and other people responsible for a franchise’s creative direction, alongside contractors and freelancers hired for specific development phases. The report says core employees may receive equity, health coverage and bonuses, while external workers may be engaged for a defined period.
Generative AI adds to workforce pressure
AI was another source of concern among European developers. Sixty-one per cent worried that generative AI could increase pressure to work faster and produce more. A further 35% believed AI might lead to job losses or reduce demand for their roles.
These figures describe respondents’ concerns, not a prediction that every role will be affected in the same way. Studios and workers can respond practically by discussing how AI tools are being used, what expectations apply to output and how responsibilities may change.
What the findings mean for studios and freelancers
The rise in European studio spending on external talent sits alongside persistent difficulties in finding projects, securing specialists and maintaining stable work. Studios planning external hiring can benefit from transparent expectations and realistic project schedules. Freelancers, meanwhile, may want to clarify the duration, deliverables and payment terms of each engagement and consider how gaps between projects affect their finances.
Overall, the 2025 figures show a growing role for external talent in European game development, but also highlight unresolved questions around stability, career growth and the changing shape of work.
