Gaming Recruitment: Are teams growing in 2025?
The gaming industry is levelling up fast in 2025 – and with it, so is the demand for top talent. Gaming recruitment is evolving as studios and immersive tech companies look to scale teams, launch new projects, and stay ahead of the innovation curve.
In our latest salary survey, we asked gaming professionals how their team structures have changed over the past year. While some reported rapid growth, others shared that teams have downsized or reshuffled to meet shifting priorities. From funding pressures to tech upgrades, we’re diving into what’s shaping team size in gaming right now – and what it means for your next hire.
Gaming studio team growth in 2025
The 2025 results reveal a clear shift in team dynamics across the gaming and immersive tech space, albeit not necessarily in the direction many had hoped for.
Just 31% of respondents said their team grew this year, a noticeable drop from 62% in 2024. That’s a major slowdown in hiring momentum, suggesting that while the industry is still active, many studios and companies are taking a more cautious approach to growth.
On the flip side, 38% reported a team reduction, up sharply from just 15% in 2024. This jump points to tighter budgets, possible restructuring or shifting priorities as businesses adapt to new market realities and evolving player expectations.
Meanwhile, 31% said their team size stayed the same, indicating a period of stability, or perhaps a holding pattern while companies wait for the right time to scale.
What does this mean for gaming recruitment? While fewer teams are expanding, the demand for specialised, high-impact talent hasn’t disappeared. Studios are becoming more strategic, focusing on roles that directly support innovation, engagement and monetisation. For hiring managers, this is a reminder to think quality over quantity and to ensure every hire counts.
Reasons for team growth in gaming studios
For the 31% of teams that did grow in 2025, the reasons behind that growth paint a clear picture of where the industry is heading — and what’s driving recruitment decisions in gaming and immersive tech right now.
More Projects for Game Releases
The biggest driver of team expansion was the need to support upcoming game launches. With development cycles accelerating and demand for immersive, engaging experiences at an all-time high, studios have been bringing in more hands on deck – from developers to QA testers – to hit critical release milestones.
New Clients
Several studios and service providers also cited new client wins as a key reason for hiring. Whether it’s white-label development, live ops support, or immersive AR/VR experiences for brands, the client side of the industry is booming. More clients mean more work and more roles to fill.
New Skills Required
The gaming space never stands still, and many hiring managers reported bringing in new talent to fill specialist gaps. From AI and procedural generation to blockchain and spatial computing, cutting-edge skills are in high demand, and teams are growing to keep up with the pace of innovation.
The takeaway for hiring managers? Growth isn’t random. It’s tied directly to clear, strategic business goals. If you’re aiming to scale your team, it’s worth identifying exactly what’s driving that growth and ensuring your recruitment strategy aligns with the tech, skills, and talent you truly need.
What does this mean for gaming recruitment in 2025
The gaming and immersive tech industries are evolving fast, and recruitment strategies need to keep pace. While overall team growth has slowed compared to 2024, the reasons behind expansion show that demand for top talent hasn’t gone anywhere. Studios are hiring with purpose: whether it’s to hit key release dates, meet new client demand or bring in cutting-edge skills.
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