GDC 2024 offered discounted tickets and a group screaming session for the frustrated and unemployed
Despite the sunny spring skies in San Francisco this week, the mood among nearly 30,000 video game industry professionals was gloomy as they gathered for the yearly Game Developers Conference (GDC). Some were so frustrated with the state of affairs in their business that they organized a group screaming session in a park.
“Those of us who have a job and can afford to be here are going through the motions and trying to have a good time,” said Maxi Molina, a game developer attending the event from Spain. “But the vibe is rancid in the industry right now.”
The gaming industry witnessed over 10,000 workers being laid off in 2023, up from 8,500 in 2022, according to the Game Industry Layoffs project, which monitors job losses among game developers and publishers globally. These layoffs have affected studios of all sizes, from small independent game publishers to industry giants like Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, which laid off 830 employees in September 2023; Microsoft, which cut 1,900 employees at Activision Blizzard and Xbox in January; and Sony, which announced in February that it was laying off 900 people globally across its studios. The trend is accelerating, with 2,000 games industry professionals losing their jobs in February alone – a fivefold increase year over year, according to the layoff tracker.
In addition to the ongoing layoffs, a recent resurgence of “anti-woke” ideology reminiscent of the Gamergate controversy and harassment campaign from 10 years ago has further disheartened many who have been working to promote diversity and safety in the gaming industry.
“It’s a persistent issue in the industry,” said Molina, who also serves as a diversity consultant in gaming. “I believe that in the years following Gamergate, people were reluctant to address it – but that doesn’t make it disappear.”
Citing these and other concerns, Caryl Shaw, former Epic Games producer, and Scott Jon Siegel, Fortnite Festival designer, organized a collective primal scream in the park across from the Moscone Center, where GDC was being held.
The event organizers expressed their sentiments on an event page for the scream, which was joined by dozens of game industry members: “The game industry is crumbling around us, and yet we’re all gathering in San Francisco for a week to pretend everything is fine. Let’s take a moment to stop pretending and express how it truly feels to be a game developer in 2024.”
More individuals require assistance at this moment
While some attendees at GDC felt pressured to enjoy themselves despite the challenging industry environment, GDC’s organizers chose to address the issue directly. Stephenie Hawkins, GDC’s event director, stated that this year’s programming was tailored to address unemployment and layoffs.
“With the industry changing and the increase in layoffs, I believe people need support now more than ever,” she said. “Our top priority has been to bring people together.”
To achieve this, GDC offered discounted tickets to unemployed attendees and set up job boards for both employers and job seekers. Organizers arranged speed-networking events and increased the availability of lounges and communal seating areas to facilitate natural interactions among attendees. They also introduced a “travel together” program that connected attendees staying in nearby locations, allowing them to chat while walking to events.
Hawkins, who has been the GDC event director since 2021, noted that the current existential moment in gaming also influenced organizers to adopt a retrospective theme for this year’s conference. The expo floor featured a booth from the Oakland-based Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment, where attendees could play refurbished classic games on vintage systems. GDC also hosted several “postmortem” panels reflecting on classic games such as Karateka (released in 1984) and Chapter 1 of the Elder Scrolls (released in 1994).
“We wanted to celebrate and pay tribute to the gaming industry’s legacy, reflecting on how we reached this point as we look ahead to the future,” she explained.
AI is a significant factor to consider
The future of the gaming industry, much like other technological fields, is heavily focused on artificial intelligence and its potential effects. According to a survey published by GDC in January, 84% of respondents, mainly individuals in the gaming industry, expressed some level of concern about the ethical implications of using generative AI.
These concerns were evident at the conference, with most panels focusing on AI at GDC reaching full capacity. Developers, investors, and other industry experts waited in long lines around the conference center to secure a seat. Kyle Gordon, a Sony employee who works with PlayStation, expressed cautious optimism about AI’s applications in gaming.
“AI is a significant consideration – things are evolving rapidly,” he said. “I’m interested in how we can use this technology to develop tools that reduce costs and shorten release timelines.”
Hawkins, the GDC organizer, noted that the conference’s research indicated that more independent developers were using AI tools compared to larger studios. This trend is partly due to AI allowing them to achieve more with fewer resources.
The potential for AI to alleviate developers’ workloads has been a key topic, particularly in light of ongoing concerns about “crunch” culture in gaming – the practice of expecting employees to work intense, often unpaid, overtime to meet game release deadlines. Some believe AI could automate tedious development tasks, but there are concerns about creative ownership. This issue is prevalent across industries as AI’s applications have expanded.
“It’s challenging, but we ensure we use only clean data and data for which we have a license,” said Nico Perony, director of AI research at Unity Games, during the AI in gaming panel. “Game creators have a responsibility to do this because many artists are concerned about whether their work will be used to feed generative models, and with good reason.”
We can take steps to protect ourselves
In the face of layoffs and AI concerns, organizers in the gaming industry are urging more workers to unionize and advocate for improved protections. Advocates, speaking at a panel titled “Now Is the Time! Workers in Games Are Ready to Form Unions,” highlighted that the challenging environment has created a prime opportunity for organizing.
“Workers are being let go from their jobs, regardless of their years of dedication to a company and their performance,” said Chrissy Fellmeth, a representative of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. “People are afraid that their livelihood could be taken away at any moment. That’s precisely why we should form unions now.”
Efforts to unionize in the gaming industry are gaining traction. Microsoft recently voluntarily recognized a union of 600 Activision quality assurance workers, marking the largest video game union in the US to date. Gaming unions in the UK have experienced a significant increase in membership since layoffs escalated in 2023. According to the GDC industry survey, only 5% of developers polled were unionized, while 57% believe that workers in the industry should be unionized.
“We can stand united and protect ourselves from unilateral changes made without our input,” Fellmeth added. “Why should we continue to live in fear of sudden layoffs?”