Is There Work-Life Balance in Gaming Jobs?
Work-life balance is often talked about in gaming and immersive tech, but what does it look like in 2025?
According to our latest Gaming & Immersive Salary Survey, industry professionals are feeling the pressure. This year, respondents rated their workload at 7.8 out of 10, where 10 indicates an extremely heavy workload. That’s a sharp increase from 6.4 in 2024, showing that demands on employees are growing at a noticeable rate.
So, while the sector continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation, it’s also pushing its talent, sometimes to the brink.
What is the impact of heavy workloads?
Unsurprisingly, the effects of this rising workload are being felt beyond project deadlines. When asked about how their workload impacts their mental health, here’s what respondents shared:
- 72% experience increased stress or anxiety
- 36% report physical fatigue
- 36% say it has decreased their career motivation
While the average happiness score in current roles stands at 6, down slightly from 6.3 in 2024, this drop, combined with the rising workload, suggests mounting pressure across all levels.
Is there anyone to talk to?
Support is essential when workloads become unsustainable. Encouragingly, 54% feel that there is an open-door policy in place where they can raise concerns. However, when we asked whose door is open, the responses were telling:
- 40% turn to their direct manager
- Only 4% see senior leadership as accessible
- 16% said there’s no one they can speak to
This lack of visible support from senior management and HR highlights a serious gap. In high-pressure environments like gaming, where crunch periods and creative burnout are common, access to empathetic leadership and clear wellbeing strategies is essential.
How does hybrid working play into this?
In another exclusive insight, we revealed that 62% of professionals said they perform best in a hybrid setup, and 52% listed remote work as a must-have when job hunting. Hybrid working gives teams more control over their schedule, energy, and environment, which can be a key part of achieving a better work-life balance.
It’s worth noting that 60% of management also prefer their teams to work remotely, showing that leaders are beginning to recognise the productivity and wellbeing benefits of flexibility.
Bringing this back to work-life balance, offering hybrid options may not reduce the workload itself, but it can give professionals the space and flexibility to manage it more sustainably.
Finding a work-life balance
Gaming and immersive tech professionals are passionate, driven and proud of what they build. But without the right support systems, rising workloads can quickly lead to burnout. Companies that want to retain top talent need to do more than offer exciting projects – they need to ensure their teams are supported, heard and able to breathe.
In 2025, the question isn’t just whether you can attract the right talent. It’s whether you can keep them healthy, happy and motivated once they’re in. Need some help finding talent? We’re here to help – not only can we offer unmatched recruitment support, but our exclusive insights can help you attract and retain top talent. Contact the team today!
