The Big Games Industry Employment Survey 2026

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The 2026 Big Games Industry Employment Survey has launched to gather data on current hiring trends, the impact of AI on workflows, and shifting salary structures.
02
The survey is open to all industry professionals, including developers, artists, producers, designers, QA, analysts, marketers, and HR specialists.
03
Initial findings from the research are scheduled to be presented at gamescom dev in August 2026.
04
The full, comprehensive report is slated for public release in November 2026.
05
The research initiative is led by Values Value in partnership with Mellow, a platform that manages contractors for over 200 game development companies across more than 100 countries.
06
The project is supported by industry partners Scorewarrior and Tribe, alongside a network of media organizations including DevGAMM, Global Game Jam, and Games Gathering.

Summary

The Big Games Industry Employment Survey 2026 serves as a decennial research initiative designed to provide transparency into the current state of the global gaming labor market. The primary objective is to capture comprehensive data regarding compensation trends, the impact of artificial intelligence on professional workflows, and the prevalence of layoffs within the sector. By gathering insights from a diverse range of industry professionals—including developers, artists, designers, producers, and administrative staff—the project aims to create an accurate map of the evolving employment landscape.

The research methodology relies on a 15-minute survey distributed to the global gamedev community, supported by an international network of industry partners and media organizations. The project is facilitated by Mellow, a platform specializing in global hiring and contractor management, alongside several other industry-focused entities. This collaborative approach ensures broad geographic coverage and participation across various industry segments.

The project follows a structured timeline for data dissemination. Preliminary findings are scheduled for presentation at gamescom dev in August 2026, followed by the release of a comprehensive, publicly accessible report in November 2026. By soliciting input from a wide spectrum of specialists, the initiative seeks to offer actionable insights that help stakeholders navigate the current climate of industry turbulence and technological disruption.