adminGames industry jobs changed significantly during 2025, even though the sector’s hiring data does not point to an industry in freefall. Figures tracking roles at more than 620 studios show a global market undergoing structural shifts: opportunities have declined in some established centres while growing in parts of Asia and Eastern Europe. The data also highlights changes in seniority requirements, AI-related hiring and workplace arrangements.
Nate Head is chief sorcerer at the gaming jobs platform Sorcery.gg.
Image credit: Pawel Czerwinski
The overall number of advertised positions fell by around 4% globally compared with the start of 2025. That net change, however, masks movement throughout the year: for much of 2025, available roles remained above the starting level. For jobseekers, this means that headline figures should be read alongside regional and role-specific trends.
The number of total job roles advertised each month in 2025, with a line of best fit. | Image credit: Sorcery
Games industry jobs: AI and regional hiring trends
AI-related vacancies expanded rapidly during the first part of the year. In September 2025, advertised AI roles reached a peak at three times the January level. In the following months, the number of openings dropped back to around its level at the start of the year. This suggests that the rush to recruit for AI-focused positions eased, although job listings alone cannot show how studios are using the technology internally.
The number of AI-related roles being advertised peaked in September 2025. | Image credit: Sorcery
The global decline was driven in large part by a sharp reduction in US openings. The US accounted for nearly half of newly posted jobs at its May peak, but that share fell to 20% in December and January. Overall, the number of open US roles declined by 25%. The UK, Western Europe and the Nordic countries also recorded decreases, generally in the range of 13–15%.
Practical takeaway: Candidates may benefit from checking openings across several regions and specialisms rather than relying on a single market’s overall trend. Job availability can differ considerably by location.
Hiring shifts eastward
While North American and Western European markets contracted, the picture elsewhere was more mixed. China and the US competed to be the largest development centre through 2025, with the US leading for most of the year. In December and January, China moved ahead, with new job availability up 25%. It was the first time China held the lead for two consecutive months.
Over the past two months, more new job roles have been advertised in China than in the US. | Image credit: Sorcery
Eastern Europe and South and Southeast Asia each saw growth of nearly 50% during much of 2025, although that rise eased in recent months. Canada also moved against the wider decline: available roles increased by 20% year over year.
The volume of jobs in Canada has increased. | Image credit: Sorcery
The volume of jobs in the UK, Western Europe, and the Nordics has decreased. | Image credit: Sorcery
These patterns align with reporting that as many as 75% of layoffs occurred in North America, as well as comments from Transcend Fund principal Lirui Ding and FunPlus chief business officer Chris Petrovic about investment interest in Eastern developers. Growing attention from Western audiences toward Chinese-made and Chinese-influenced games forms part of this broader context.
For studios and developers, one possible implication is a greater role for international collaboration and specialist co-development teams. Regional hiring data can indicate where opportunities are emerging, but it does not guarantee continued growth in any market.
Are junior roles disappearing?
Changes in hiring also vary by experience level. In the US, employers increasingly advertised senior and leadership positions while mid-level openings became less common. Senior roles grew from 22% to 27% of new positions, and leadership roles represented 26% of hiring. Mid-level positions, meanwhile, fell from 51% to 42% of open roles.
Canada showed a similar pattern: mid-level roles decreased from 56% to 50%, while senior roles increased from 20% in early 2025 to 27% more recently. Junior positions fluctuated between 4% and 5%. The data therefore suggests that mid-level workers, rather than junior candidates alone, faced a notable squeeze in these markets.
“Junior roles bounced around at 4–5%, but it was mainly the mid-level roles that got squeezed out.”
Several European markets offered a more encouraging picture for people entering the industry. The share of roles aimed at aspirants doubled in France, Germany and Spain, rising from 5% to more than 10%. In Eastern Europe, junior vacancies also doubled over the year, though they still accounted for just 6% of all open roles.
In the UK, junior openings remained broadly stable at 4–6% of available jobs. For applicants, these differences make it useful to tailor a search by country and experience level, rather than assuming that one region’s hiring pattern applies everywhere.
Remote work is becoming less common
The data also points to a gradual reversal of some workplace changes that took hold during the COVID period. Globally, fully remote positions fell from 9.4% to 6.6% of advertised jobs, a 30% decrease. Hybrid roles declined from 38% to 34%, while on-site positions rose from 52% to 59%.
The number of fully remote positions has declined. | Image credit: Sorcery
This shift may suit people who prefer working alongside their teams, but it can limit options for candidates who depend on remote or hybrid arrangements. Studios that offer flexibility may still stand out to applicants, while those seeking roles should check the required work location early in the application process.
What the games industry jobs data means
The figures describe a competitive market in transition, not a uniform collapse. Hiring is contracting in several Western markets while growing in others, and studios’ needs are changing across seniority levels and working arrangements. These broad patterns do not lessen the personal impact of layoffs or guarantee that new opportunities will last.
Developers can respond by keeping their CVs and portfolios current, strengthening relevant skills and maintaining professional networks. It is also sensible to be clear about location and workplace preferences when assessing a role. Studios, in turn, can improve the hiring experience by communicating expectations clearly and respecting the time candidates invest in applications.
Overall, games industry jobs are being reshaped geographically, technologically and financially. Reading the data by region, seniority and work arrangement gives jobseekers a more useful picture than global totals alone.
