The GDC State of the Game Industry Report returns with an up-to-date snapshot on the state of the professional world of game development.
The game industry is speaking up. Thousands of professionals sounded off on generative AI, layoffs, next-gen development, and more.
GDC organizers have released The State of the Game Industry: November 2026 report, which surveyed over 2,600 game workers on everything from the latest technological advancements to how layoffs have impacted their mental health. While the report is typically released at the beginning of each year, this edition and reports going forward have been adjusted to release near year’s end, befitting the report’s reflections on the current state of the industry.
This year’s State of the Game Industry reflects an industry that continues to face tremendous adversity, even as the love that game makers feel for their craft endures. The complete report can be accessed for free at this link.
Layoffs have continued, with some respondents saying they’ve been laid off multiple times in the past two years. Co-development has become a larger part of the conversation: 45 percent of studios have utilized co-dev services sometime in the past 12 months. Game professionals are expressing more openness to select uses of generative AI, though many say creative and player-facing content are still largely off the table.
The report also covers upcoming next-gen consoles, namely the next PlayStation and Xbox "Project Helix," and how many studios are preparing for their releases.
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