There’s a lot of talk this year in the video game industry, debating whether 2023 is the best in the sector’s history. Todd Howard, the prominent figure at Bethesda, even went as far as saying so with the release of Starfield. However, behind that statement lies a dark reality—an alarming figure that speaks poorly of this industry: more than 9,000 job layoffs as of December 12, 2023 (and the number might still increase in the remaining 3 weeks).
According to the website videogamelayoffs, dedicated to compiling job layoffs within the video game world, this year has seen layoffs in nearly every major company. However, there are a few that unfortunately stand out.
Starting with Unity alone, they’ve laid off 1,165 workers, which is more than 10% of their total workforce. This number accurately reflects the company’s downturn, plagued with controversies and issues throughout 2023. Additionally, this list includes companies like ByteDance (1,000 layoffs), Embracer Group (964 layoffs, with more expected), Epic Games (830 layoffs), and Amazon (715 layoffs).
These 5 companies represent nearly half of this year’s job losses, but the other half is formed by a very large conglomerate: including brands like PlayStation, Ubisoft, Microsoft, Riot Games, Team 17, Electronic Arts, and many more.
This massive wave of layoffs seems unlikely to stop during 2023. According to many analysts, there will be more corporate decisions in 2024 that could lead to job cuts within the most significant companies. Therefore, this significant figure seems likely to increase in the short and medium term. Unfortunately.
