The global games workforce barely moved between 2022 and 2026 — but North America lost 11.5% of it. The jobs did not disappear so much as relocate, and if you are only searching where you live, your personal market may be far smaller than the headline numbers suggest.
What the workforce data shows
Amir Satvat’s workforce analysis, published by GamesBeat in April 2026, tracked the global industry from about 750,000 people in 2022 to about 754,000 in 2026 — a net change of roughly +0.6%. Around 48,000 roles were eliminated and about 52,500 people hired across the period.
The regional picture is nothing like flat:
- North America −11.5%
- South America −11%
- Europe −6.7%
- Asia −2%
Every named region shrank while the global total edged up, which means the growth sits in regions not broken out in that analysis. Worth knowing rather than glossing: the data does not tell us precisely where the gains landed.
California carries a startling share of the losses
In layoff tracking through early March 2026, North America accounted for 58% of layoff events and Europe 22%. Within North America, California alone was 43% of the cuts — about a quarter of the global total. Seventeen of the last twenty tracked layoff events were in North America.
If you are a game developer in California, you are not imagining that it feels worse where you are.
Where hiring is moving
Satvat’s 2026 predictions, based on tracking more than 5,000 studios, anticipated roles shifting proportionally away from North America and Western Europe and toward Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia, alongside greater use of external development and contractors.
He deliberately declined to attach hard numbers to that forecast, so treat it as direction rather than measurement. But it is consistent with the workforce data and with what studios say about cost pressure.
What that means in practice
Two things follow, and they pull in opposite directions.
If you live in a region gaining share, more roles are appearing on your doorstep — often at rates well below US bands, but in a growing market rather than a contracting one.
If you live in a region losing share, the honest answer is that relocating is expensive, slow and increasingly pointless when the work itself is distributed. Applying remotely into the markets still hiring is the cheaper move, which is the entire argument for a remote-only board.
The catch: pay follows the market, not the work
A remote role is almost always priced to the country you are legally employed in, not the country the studio is in. Two people on the same team in different countries are routinely on very different contracts, because the studio runs separate pay bands per market.
That cuts both ways. Developers in lower-paying regions can often earn more selling into higher-paying markets, especially as contractors, since contract rates track the client’s market far more closely than salaries do. Work out what your salary is actually worth elsewhere with the remote pay calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is the games industry shrinking?
Globally, barely — roughly +0.6% over four years. Regionally, sharply in North America, South America and Europe. "The industry is shrinking" is true where most English-language commentary is written and not true everywhere.
Should I relocate to find game work?
Rarely worth it now. The regions gaining share pay less, and the work is increasingly distributed anyway. Exhaust remote options before uprooting.
Which countries are hiring game developers in 2026?
The credible direction is Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia gaining proportional share. Precise country-level hiring counts are not published by any source I would stand behind.
Are layoffs slowing down?
There were early signs in 2026, with the projected annual total revised down for the first time in months. But trackers disagree materially on totals, so treat any single figure with caution.
Search the markets that are hiring
Every listing on the job board states the region you must be legally employed in, verified against the studio’s own posting. The worldwide guide breaks down which roles genuinely accept applicants anywhere.
Sources
- Amir Satvat workforce analysis, GamesBeat, 20 April 2026
- Amir Satvat layoff tracking, GamesBeat, 3 March 2026
- Amir Satvat 2026 predictions, GamesBeat, 9 December 2025