In the year 2025 European game development houses markedly increased the amount of money they allocated to external talent, posting a striking 63 percent rise in spend on outsourced roles. This surge outstripped the overall industry’s growth, which was measured at 55 percent globally, indicating that European studios are adopting a more aggressive approach to tapping outside expertise than many of their international peers.
The figures come from the recently published "Talent Signals Reshaping the Games Industry" study, authored by Tanja Loktionova, founder of Values Value and co‑founder of InGame Job. Loktionova’s analysis draws on a broad employment survey that captures the experiences of both studios and independent professionals across the continent.
One of the most notable trends highlighted in the report is the expansion of the freelance workforce that partners with European studios. The number of freelancers engaged by these companies grew by 24 percent over the previous year. This growth is not limited to sheer headcount; the average earnings of freelancers worldwide also climbed, with a 19 percent increase in monthly income reported across the sector. While the rise in pay reflects a healthier market for contract talent, it also underscores the heightened competition for skilled individuals capable of delivering high‑quality content under tight deadlines.
Despite these positive financial signals, the data paints a more complex picture of the talent landscape. Nearly six out of ten studios (59.8 percent) indicated that they face significant challenges when trying to locate qualified specialists for their projects. At the same time, just over half of the freelancers surveyed (54.1 percent) reported difficulties in finding suitable assignments that match their skill sets and career aspirations.
This mismatch suggests that while demand for external talent is rising, the supply of appropriately matched professionals has not kept pace. Financial stability remains a lingering concern for many freelancers.
Even though the average monthly income for contractors rose by 19 percent on a global scale, a substantial 63 percent of freelancers expressed anxiety about the consistency of their earnings. The volatility is further amplified by broader labor‑market trends: 30 percent of respondents said they had experienced layoffs within the past twelve months, and the typical recovery period to secure a new role was reported to be around six months. Career mobility appears to be high among the surveyed cohort.
Half of the participants indicated that they anticipate changing jobs within the next half‑year, and fewer than 50 percent reported feeling satisfied with their current positions. Professional development also emerged as an area of concern: only 26 percent of respondents felt they were making meaningful progress in their careers, while 36 percent described their situation as stagnant.
Moreover, more than half (55 percent) disclosed that they had not received any formal training or upskilling opportunities during the previous year, pointing to a potential gap in employer‑provided learning resources. Loktionova interpreted these findings as a "structural signal that the industry has matured past its growth‑at‑any‑cost phase and has not yet figured out what replaces it." In other words, the gaming sector is transitioning from a period of rapid expansion driven by sheer volume to a more nuanced stage where sustainability, talent management, and strategic allocation of resources become paramount. The report also identifies an emerging two‑tier team model within studios.
According to the data, many companies are consolidating a small core group of senior personnel—directors, lead architects, and custodians of a franchise’s creative vision—who receive comprehensive compensation packages that typically include equity stakes, health benefits, and performance bonuses. This inner circle is designed to protect the long‑term integrity of a brand and ensure continuity across multiple releases.
Conversely, the outer tier consists largely of contractors and freelancers who are hired for specific sprints, milestones, or development phases. Once those particular tasks are completed, the external contributors are often released from the contract, returning them to the broader gig market. This dynamic creates a fluid workforce that can adapt quickly to shifting project needs but also leaves many professionals in a state of perpetual transition. Another significant insight from the study concerns the impact of generative artificial intelligence on the European development community.
A clear majority—61 percent—of developers expressed worry that AI tools could intensify pressure to accelerate production cycles and deliver larger volumes of content. While AI promises efficiencies, a sizable minority (35 percent) voiced fears that the technology might ultimately displace human workers or diminish demand for certain roles, especially those centered on repetitive or procedural tasks. In summary, the 2025 data reveals a European gaming industry that is investing heavily in external expertise, experiencing rapid growth in freelance collaborations, and navigating the challenges of talent scarcity, income volatility, and rapid technological change. Studios appear to be redefining their internal structures, favoring a lean core of senior talent while relying on a flexible periphery of contract workers.
At the same time, professionals across the sector are grappling with concerns about job security, career development, and the evolving role of AI in game creation. The landscape suggests a period of adjustment as the industry seeks a sustainable equilibrium between growth ambitions, workforce stability, and technological innovation.