Game Industry Layoffs Leave Developers Reeling
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Mass layoffs in 2024 have impacted thousands of game developers, leaving many struggling financially and mentally. Developers shared stories of losing health insurance, being unable to afford medication, and having their self-worth damaged.
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Layoffs disproportionately affected marginalized groups. Companies invested in diversity initiatives but then laid off the people they hired.
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Many developers moved across the country or world for jobs, only to quickly lose them and struggle being so far from their support systems.
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The sheer number of people laid off makes finding new jobs in the industry incredibly difficult. Many developers feel forced to leave the game industry entirely despite lacking qualifications for other careers.
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The repeated cycles of layoffs have left developers feeling hopeless and erased job prospects that initially seemed promising. As one developer put it "the floor just keeps falling out." This cycle is causing some of the industry's top talent to leave entirely.