The global gaming industry has recorded 10,977 layoffs in 2026, approaching 11,000 and surpassing the 9,197 layoffs seen throughout all of 2025. Data from ASGC's Gaming Industry Layoff Tracker also shows that 2024 remains the year with the largest scale of layoffs in the past three years, with over 15,000 people losing their jobs that year.
With two months remaining until the end of 2026, industry layoffs have not ceased. Based on this, trackers predict that the total number of layoffs for the year could rise to approximately 13,000; however, this figure is currently only a forecast and not a final result confirmed by companies or already realized.
EA, Ubisoft, and Xbox have been cited as prominent cases this year. Multiple studios under Xbox have already been affected by varying degrees of layoffs in recent months, with further job cuts potentially on the horizon. High project budgets, continuously rising development costs, and restructuring at major companies are considered significant factors behind the industry's ongoing workforce reductions.
Developers involved in successful titles also struggle to secure long-term job stability. PlayStation recently laid off developers working on Ghost of Yotei, demonstrating that strong commercial performance does not necessarily shield teams from subsequent adjustments. Currently, the scale of future layoffs by various companies and the estimated annual total of approximately 13,000 remain subject to further confirmation.