Young game industry professionals at the ongoing 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco have expressed reservations about the future employment opportunities amid a changing landscape.
The 2025 GDC, one of the gaming industry's most influential events, runs from March 17 to 21 at the city's Moscone Center and has drawn some 30,000 attendees including representatives from major tech companies like Meta, Epic, and Netflix, alongside numerous independent game developers.
However, beneath the surface of fun and games, some attendees discussed the booming influence of artificial intelligence (AI) and growing concerns about job security within the industry.
A recent GDC survey of 3,000 developers revealed that one in ten had been laid off in the past year, and half of the developers are self-funding their games.
"I'm kind of nervous about getting into the industry. I'm not sure if there's a place for me. So it's just a lot of competition," said Tessa Breland, a visual effects artist at Mars Games.
Haley Hughes, a level designer at Mars Games, echoed the concern, citing recent industry layoffs.
"I have seen a bunch of cases of layoffs and studio closings and stuff like that. Marvel Rivals, that new MOBA or battle arena-type game, ended up closing their studio in Washington, and Ubisoft has closed a few studios, and you just see it happening a lot more this year than it has in previous years, so that's a little bit scary for somebody who's still in school and trying to get their foot into the door," she said. Another key issue at this year's GDC is the increasing use of generative AI in game development. While the GDC survey found that one in three developers are using AI to streamline their work, there is a growing sense of distrust.
Only 13 percent of developers believe generative AI is having a positive impact on the industry, down from 21 percent last year. Conversely, 30 percent believe it has had a negative impact, a 12-point increase from 2024. Key concerns among developers include the potential for copyright theft and the overall quality of AI-generated content.
2025 Game Developers Conference held in San Francisco amid industry layoffs
