Sorry you're getting downvoted for being correct. I went to school for game design and decided to change career paths when I found out everything is contract work. Once a game is finished, you're out of a job and need to search for another studio to work for.

[–] WarmSoda@lemm.ee 11 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Exactly. When they don't need X amount of people they clear the seats.

Production ramps up for a new game, and they fill those seats again.

Unless you "breakthrough" or prove yourself invaluable to the company your always going to be looking for a new gig.

[–] MudMan@kbin.social 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If it was all contract work it'd be better, probably. Devs would have representation, like actors or film directors, and they'd sign up for a project at a premium in the understanding that they're getting paid for the downtime after the project ends.

The kinda shitty part is that everybody is a full time employee but you still get frequent layoffs after projects end. That's the worst of both worlds, especially in the US where there are basically zero mandatory protections. In places with actual labor regulations it's... kinda expensive and self-defeating.

It is true that the layoffs get reported but the hires do not, so a lot of devs get rehired fairly quickly or start new projects and studios, so it always seems like there are devs getting kicked to the curb when there's a baseline of churn and cycling. That said, 2023 has been a very, very, very shitty year for the games industry for a number of reasons. Which sucks, because it's been a great year for games themselves.

[–] AnneBonny@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The kinda shitty part is that everybody is a full time employee but you still get frequent layoffs after projects end. That’s the worst of both worlds, especially in the US where there are basically zero mandatory protections. In places with actual labor regulations it’s… kinda expensive and self-defeating.

Something like 60% of EA employees live outside the U.S.A.

[–] MudMan@kbin.social 2 points 10 months ago

Yes.

My point stands.