In the year 2025, game development studios across Europe markedly increased the amount of money they allocated to external talent, posting a striking 63 percent rise in expenditure on outsourced roles. This surge outstripped the overall global growth rate for the same category, which was measured at 55 percent, highlighting a uniquely rapid expansion within the European market. The figures come from the recently published "Talent Signals Reshaping the Games Industry" report, authored by Tanja Loktionova, founder of Values Value and co‑founder of InGame Job.
Loktionova’s analysis draws on a broad employment survey that canvassed studios, freelancers, and other stakeholders throughout the continent, offering a detailed snapshot of how labour dynamics are evolving in the interactive entertainment sector. One of the most notable trends uncovered by the study is the sharp increase in the number of freelancers working alongside European studios.
Over the past twelve months, the pool of independent contractors who contributed to game projects grew by 24 percent. At the same time, the average earnings of freelancers worldwide climbed 19 percent, indicating that higher pay is being offered to attract the specialized skills that studios increasingly need. Despite these positive indicators, the report also reveals a series of persistent challenges. Almost six out of ten studios (59.8 percent) reported difficulty in locating qualified specialists to fill critical positions.
This talent shortage is mirrored on the freelancer side, where 54.1 percent of independent workers said they struggled to secure projects that matched their expertise and career aspirations. Even though the average monthly income for freelancers rose by 19 percent on a global scale, a substantial 63 percent of these workers remain uneasy about the stability of their earnings.
The uncertainty is compounded by broader market volatility: 30 percent of survey respondents disclosed that they had experienced layoffs within the previous year, and the typical time required to obtain a new role after a termination was reported to be roughly six months. Job mobility appears to be high. Half of those surveyed indicated that they anticipate changing employers within the next half‑year, and fewer than half expressed satisfaction with their current positions.
Professional development also seems to be lagging; only 26 percent felt they were making meaningful progress in their careers, while 36 percent described their situation as stagnant. Moreover, 55 percent of respondents confirmed that they had not received any formal training or upskilling opportunities over the past twelve months. Loktionova interprets these data points 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 sector is transitioning from a period of aggressive expansion—driven largely by rapid hiring and large internal teams—to a more measured, perhaps sustainable model that has yet to be fully defined. The report further suggests that studios are gravitating toward a two‑tier team architecture.
At the top of this hierarchy sits a compact core of senior personnel—directors, lead architects, and custodians of a franchise’s creative vision—who typically receive comprehensive compensation packages that include equity stakes, health benefits, and performance bonuses. Surrounding this nucleus is a broader ring of contractors and freelancers who are engaged for specific development sprints or phases.
Once those milestones are completed, many of these peripheral contributors are released from their contracts, reflecting a shift toward flexible, project‑based staffing. This evolving staffing model is being shaped by additional forces, most prominently the rise of generative artificial intelligence.
The study found that 61 percent of European developers expressed concern that AI tools could pressure them to accelerate production cycles and increase output volumes. Meanwhile, 35 percent feared that AI could ultimately diminish demand for their roles or even render certain jobs obsolete. To put these numbers into perspective, consider the broader economic context.
The gaming industry has historically been a high‑growth sector, often characterized by aggressive hiring sprees and sizable internal development teams. As markets mature and competition intensifies, studios are looking for ways to control costs while still delivering high‑quality experiences. Outsourcing and freelance work provide a means to scale talent up or down in line with project needs, but they also introduce new complexities related to workforce stability, skill continuity, and employee morale. The implications for policymakers and industry leaders are significant.
On one hand, the surge in freelance work suggests a growing gig economy within game development, which could call for updated labor protections, clearer contract standards, and better access to benefits for non‑full‑time workers. On the other hand, the reported difficulty in finding qualified specialists points to a need for stronger education pipelines, more robust apprenticeship programs, and greater investment in continuous learning initiatives.
In summary, the 2025 data paints a picture of a European gaming sector in transition: spending on external talent is soaring, freelancer earnings are rising, yet both studios and independent workers grapple with talent shortages, job insecurity, and the looming impact of AI. As the industry continues to evolve, the balance between a lean core team and a flexible peripheral workforce will likely define the next phase of growth and innovation in European game development.