In the year 2025 European game development houses dramatically increased the amount of money they allocated to outside talent, registering a 63 percent jump in expenditures. This surge not only eclipsed the broader industry’s growth, which stood at 55 percent, but also highlighted a shifting reliance on non‑permanent staff to meet production targets. The data comes from the recently released "Talent Signals Reshaping the Games Industry" analysis, authored by Tanja Loktionova, founder of Values Value and co‑founder of InGame Job. One of the most striking findings of the report is the 24 percent rise in the number of freelancers who partnered with European studios over the past twelve months.
This uptick reflects a broader trend in which studios are turning to flexible, project‑based workers to fill skill gaps, accelerate development cycles, and manage budget constraints. At the same time, the average earnings of freelancers worldwide climbed by 19 percent, indicating that the market is rewarding specialized expertise with higher pay rates.
Despite these positive financial signals, the research also uncovers significant friction points for both studios and independent contractors. Nearly six out of ten studios (approximately 60 percent) reported challenges in locating qualified specialists, suggesting a tightening talent pool and heightened competition for niche skill sets such as advanced AI programming, real‑time rendering, and live‑ops management.
On the freelancer side, 54.1 percent said they struggled to secure projects that matched their experience and career aspirations, underscoring a mismatch between supply and demand in certain sub‑domains of game development. Income stability remains a pervasive concern.
Although the average monthly remuneration for freelancers grew by 19 percent on a global scale, close to 63 percent of these independent workers expressed anxiety about the consistency of their earnings. The gig‑centric nature of the industry means that many freelancers experience periods of high demand followed by lulls, making financial planning difficult. The labor market’s volatility is further illustrated by the fact that 30 percent of survey respondents indicated they had been laid off at least once in the previous year. For those individuals, the average time required to land a new position was six months, a timeline that can strain personal finances and professional momentum.
Moreover, half of all respondents anticipate changing jobs within the next six months, and fewer than half reported feeling satisfied with their current employment situation. Professional development appears to be lagging behind these employment trends. Only 26 percent of participants felt they were making meaningful progress in their careers, while 36 percent described their growth as stagnant. Compounding this issue, 55 percent of respondents disclosed that they had not received any formal training or upskilling opportunities in the past year, suggesting that many studios may not be investing sufficiently in employee development programs.
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 sector is transitioning from a period of rapid expansion driven by massive hiring to a more measured, efficiency‑focused model, yet the blueprint for this new equilibrium remains unclear. The report also points to an emerging two‑tier team architecture within studios. At the top of this hierarchy sits a compact core of senior figures—directors, lead architects, and custodians of a franchise’s creative vision—who typically receive equity stakes, comprehensive health benefits, and performance bonuses.
Surrounding this nucleus is a broader ring of contractors and freelancers who are brought on for specific sprints or development phases and often released once those milestones are completed. This peripheral group, according to Loktionova, is increasingly "sitting in the periphery" and faces less job security and fewer long‑term incentives.
Another dimension of uncertainty stems from the rapid advancement of generative AI technologies. The study revealed that 61 percent of European developers are worried that AI tools could pressure them to accelerate production timelines and deliver larger volumes of content. While some view AI as a productivity enhancer, a notable 35 percent fear that the technology could render certain roles obsolete or diminish demand for their particular skill set. To contextualize these statistics, consider the broader economic environment in which European studios operate.
Rising inflation, fluctuating currency exchange rates, and shifting consumer preferences for live‑service and cross‑platform experiences have compelled many companies to tighten their cost structures. Outsourcing to freelancers offers a way to scale resources up or down without the overhead of full‑time employment contracts, yet it also introduces challenges related to knowledge transfer, team cohesion, and intellectual property protection. Looking ahead, industry analysts suggest that studios may need to adopt hybrid staffing models that blend a stable core team with a flexible network of vetted specialists. Investment in continuous learning platforms, mentorship programs, and clearer career pathways could mitigate the dissatisfaction and stagnation reported by many workers.
Additionally, transparent communication about how AI will be integrated into pipelines—whether as a collaborative tool or a replacement for certain tasks—could alleviate some of the anxiety surrounding technological displacement. In summary, the 2025 data paints a picture of an industry in flux: spending on external talent is soaring, freelancer earnings are rising, yet both studios and independent workers grapple with talent shortages, income volatility, and concerns about future relevance. As European game developers navigate this evolving landscape, the balance between maintaining a lean, adaptable workforce and fostering sustainable career growth will be critical to the sector’s long‑term health.