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Industry Study: 11,500 Layoffs Since 2008
Research by entertainment analyst group M2 shows that as many as 11,500 game industry jobs have been lost since late 2008.
According to the new study, “the final count for layoffs since the economic meltdown in late 2008 reached 11,488 worldwide, with the majority of the losses coming in 2009.”
The study shows staff reductions from 95 individual studios, 52 of which were located in the U.S. alone. The majority of layoffs were at studio level, with the QA staff being first to get taken off payroll.
In 2009, the industry saw a record number of studio closures including Midway and Pandemic, among many others. Other studios filed for bankruptcy. The study adds that a large portion of staff reductions resulted from projects that had difficulty adapting to current generation consoles and gaming trends.
Think 2010 will be a better year for industry jobs? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
[Via Develop]
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