Skillsearch games survey 2026: senior talent flight creates pipeline and valuation risk
Summary
Skillsearch 2026 survey (1,000 respondents, 5 regions) reveals structural workforce distress across games
44% have considered leaving the industry; 76% of UK professionals are exploring exits in 2026
22% laid off in the past 12 months; only 27% of re-employed professionals feel secure
Senior roles, art departments, and large studios absorb disproportionate damage
"Only 35% of respondents said that they or their studio had been unaffected by redundancies"
01
Two-thirds of the workforce has been touched by redundancies
22% were made redundant in the past 12 months; another 12% were laid off earlier
28% were at studios that cut staff but were personally spared
Only 35% report being fully unaffected by layoffs
Root causes are demand-side: reduced investor funding, budget cuts, lack of projects
02
Re-employment takes months and delivers no stability
Only 21% found new work in under a month
39% took four months or longer; 8% took over a year
Only 27% of re-employed professionals feel secure in their new role
This confidence gap signals continued attrition risk among nominal survivors
03
Senior and specialist roles bear the heaviest losses
Art departments were named among the most impacted areas
Senior professionals (10+ years) and large studios (250+ employees) hit hardest
UK was the single most impacted geography at 43% of respondents
UK C-suite average salary: £199,833; directors: £110,442
Replacing these roles costs months and erases institutional knowledge
04
AI tools are spreading faster than governance frameworks
More than half of respondents or their companies have adopted AI tools
64% believe increased AI use negatively affects creativity
Top concerns: job security, creative authenticity, ethical use
Only 29% of studios have formal ethical AI policies in place
This governance gap compounds talent flight and reputational exposure
05
Relocation friction blocks natural talent redistribution
53% would relocate for higher salary plus relocation package
38% have declined offers due to inadequate relocation terms
Cost of living and job security remain top blockers
Talent concentration risk stays high in the UK market
Events
Companies
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Games
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Locations
United Kingdom
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