The 2018 Overall Salary Survey: CIS Region

The 2018 Overall Salary Survey examines compensation trends within the game development industry across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. The primary finding indicates a 7.4% decline in the median annual salary, which fell from $16,800 in 2017 to $15,600 in 2018. A significant driver of this downward trend was the widening gender pay gap, which increased from $4,800 to $6,000 annually, as women experienced a 10% reduction in median compensation while the gender ratio remained constant at 27% women and 73% men.

Beyond gender-related disparities, the survey identifies salary contractions in specific professional roles. Top management compensation decreased by 23.3%, while programmers saw a 10% decline, largely attributed to shifts among senior-level staff and the prevalence of mid-level specialists occupying management roles within smaller indie studios. Despite these regional declines, the data suggests a bifurcated market where highly qualified specialists remained in high demand, with some individuals seeing their incomes double or triple during the same period.

The research methodology involved an anonymous online survey of 2,046 respondents aged 18 to 56, conducted over two years, with 834 responses collected in 2017 and 1,212 in 2018. The scope covers the game development sector across major CIS countries, including Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. While the overall median figures reflect a contraction, the findings highlight a complex landscape where general salary erosion contrasts with significant income growth for top-tier talent.