Finding a spark of hope in a sea of layoffs

May 31, 2024 0 By Brian Crecente

It’s been 2 days since lives were upended.

It’s been 2 days since dreams were crushed.

It’s been 2 days since an industry that pulls in nearly $200 billion in revenue annually decided it was time to dump employees.

It’s hard to completely comprehend a layoff’s impact on one person, let alone more than 10,000.

But this year, a year we’re not even half over with, there have been more than 10,200 people kicked to the curb by an industry that seems to be making more money than it ever has in its history.

There are lots of reasons for that, probably: Maybe it’s because of a rising cost in making games, maybe there was an over investment in development urged on by a spike in pandemic gaming, maybe people just don’t like playing some sorts of games anymore. Perhaps, an industry flush with cash in 2022 decided to buy out a bunch of other companies, or merge with them, and now the sky is falling — financially speaking.

Whatever the reason, the video game industry has been and continues to be in the throes of mass layoffs.

Two years ago, 8,500 people lost their jobs. In 2023, it was 10,500. This year, the video game industry has already nearly topped that number, with half a year to go.

Looking at this unfold from outside the game industry, I can’t fathom what those impacted are going through, dealing with their own job losses, the job losses of friends, and the knowledge that every job opening has so many talented people likely applying for that one position.

However, this crisis in the game industry has sparked a sense of community among some. I’ve been fascinated watching both employed and recently laid off game developers come together to support and try to find new jobs for those in need.

If you spend any time on LinkedIn or social media these days, you can’t help but notice the posts that showcase job openings.

I recently contacted Caitlin Cooke to ask her about the lifeline posts she frequently creates on the site.

Today’s for instance, was a roundup of game jobs posted in the last two days.

Cooke, a talent partner for A16Z GAMES, said she started putting the list together at the beginning of the year as a reaction to the layoffs that hit in January.

“We saw a lot in 2023, and then a huge wave hit in the new year – around 6,000 across Unity, Riot, Twitch, and so many others,” she told me. “I got sick of seeing it and wanted to do something to help outside of posting hiring advice.”

“I think the visibility in seeing new jobs is helpful and uplifting to those actively seeking roles. “

So she started regularly putting together her MEGATHREAD job postings, which are shared widely in the industry. Some garner 150,000 to close to 300,000 impressions per post.

“Candidates and founders have told me these posts have led to hires – I don’t know how many, but I’d like to believe that for every example I hear about, there are many more that I don’t,” she said. “I also think the visibility in seeing new jobs is helpful and uplifting to those actively seeking roles.

“I get daily messages from people saying how much they appreciate the lists and how it’s helping in their search. I’ll continue to do this as long as it’s a source of value to people.”

Farhan Noor, an artist at Riot Games, took a different approach to processing the corrosion of the video game industry. He started tracking it.

It started with him taking loose notes he’d share with friends and colleagues back in the Xbox 360 and PS3 days and slowly grew into a network of sorts.

“That network organically grew to a point where I started just writing it down in a notepad – I figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to put that list up online,” he said. “I saw there was a website that had originally done some minor tracking but was long since abandoned, so I bought the domain and just published my notes directly to it (although it’s a lot nicer looking than my original scrappy notes and Google chat discussions).”

The website, Game Industry Layoffs, has since become a significant source for tracking individual studio layoffs, trends, and annual insight into the layoffs shaking the industry, which he believes has helped those impacted.

“One of the major pain points from being laid off way back in the day was visibility; a lot of people didn’t know X and Y studio had layoffs or how rocky it could be,” he said. “I think it’s been pretty impactful in that it brings some visibility to the smaller studios. I’ve also seen studio recruiters using some of the data to help them source candidates.”

“I hope it can be a spark of hope for people who want to be here one day.”

Neither Noor nor Cooke offered much insight into the why behind the layoffs, instead focusing on the profound, personal impact these layoffs have on the people powering the game industry.

Cooke suggests that people who are laid off should take a moment to process what has happened.

“It’s extremely difficult to go through a job search, and it’s important to take time for yourself first before jumping in,” she said. “In general, successful job searching is a combination of a numbers game (pure applications), timing (applying right when a job opens), and pure luck.

Noor tells those impacted by layoffs to cast a wide net when looking for a new job.

“There are a lot of smaller and lesser-known studios out there,” he said. “Just because the games they make, or the work they do isn’t your cup of tea, doesn’t mean you won’t be able to be content and achieve personal career growth (if that’s your thing).

“The worst thing you can do is not apply to an opening you think you would be a good fit for.”

Of course, the layoffs aren’t just impacting those already in the industry; they can also be perceived as a warning to those wanting to enter the video game industry.

Cooke suggests that those trying to break into the industry should start with the community.

“Find people in the space you want to be in and connect with them,” she said. “Whatever field you end up picking, start practicing – whether that’s a side project, volunteering, tinkering, whatever. You have to begin somewhere, even if the work you’re doing isn’t public or very good. Build on it, get feedback, be patient, keep pushing.

“For me, this meant writing about games. I was not very good in the beginning, but it was the only real outlet for games I could have, being a nontechnical or creative person. I wrote this piece recently that sums up my journey, and I hope it can be a spark of hope for people who want to be here one day.”

Cooke added that she and Jordan Mazer, head of talent at A16Z GAMES, plan to assemble a game job substack.

It will feature “refreshed jobs, advice, and anything at the intersection of games x jobs,” she said. “Our team at A16Z GAMES believes it’s important to keep this work going and to bring the community together in a space that more people can access outside of a single platform.”

If you’ve been impacted by the past few years of layoffs, make sure you check out Cooke’s posts and follow Amir Satvat for his amazing support posts and analysis of game industry job data.

Also, hang in there. We love what you create, and the games industry (and world) would be a smaller, less wonderful place without you.