GITNUXREPORT 2026

Hr In The Video Game Industry Statistics

The game industry struggles with diversity, high turnover, and intense workplace culture issues.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

Average salary $85k USD for devs

Statistic 2

15% bonus average

Statistic 3

25% have 401k matching

Statistic 4

Health insurance covers 80% premium

Statistic 5

PTO average 20 days/year

Statistic 6

40% equity in startups

Statistic 7

Senior producer $120k avg

Statistic 8

12% gender pay gap

Statistic 9

Remote stipend $500/month

Statistic 10

30% overtime pay mandated EU

Statistic 11

QA tester $45k entry

Statistic 12

18% profit sharing

Statistic 13

Parental leave 12 weeks paid

Statistic 14

Gym membership 60% coverage

Statistic 15

22% tuition reimbursement

Statistic 16

Artist salary $75k avg

Statistic 17

35% variable pay structure

Statistic 18

Dental/vision 90% covered

Statistic 19

10% salary increase YoY

Statistic 20

Intern pay $20/hr avg

Statistic 21

28% mental health days

Statistic 22

Engineer $110k median

Statistic 23

45% with HSA contributions

Statistic 24

Producer bonus 20% max

Statistic 25

16% freelance rate premium

Statistic 26

24% of game developers identify as women in 2022

Statistic 27

2% of game developers are non-binary in 2022

Statistic 28

70% of game developers are white in 2022

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12% of game developers have disabilities

Statistic 30

Average age of game developers is 32 years in 2022

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45% of developers at small studios (<10 people) are women

Statistic 32

18% of senior roles held by women in 2021

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5% of game studio CEOs are women

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30% increase in LGBTQ+ identification among devs since 2019

Statistic 35

8% of devs are Black or African American

Statistic 36

15% Hispanic/Latino devs in US industry

Statistic 37

40% of indie devs under 25 years old

Statistic 38

22% parental leave takers are fathers

Statistic 39

3% Indigenous devs represented

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55% male in mobile game dev

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28% women in console dev teams

Statistic 42

10% devs over 45 years old

Statistic 43

7% Asian devs in Western studios

Statistic 44

4% Middle Eastern/North African devs

Statistic 45

35% Gen Z entering industry

Statistic 46

19% devs with visible disabilities

Statistic 47

6% Pacific Islander devs

Statistic 48

50% urban vs 20% rural devs

Statistic 49

14% bi-racial/multiracial devs

Statistic 50

26% women in QA roles

Statistic 51

9% trans/non-binary senior staff

Statistic 52

42% millennials dominate workforce

Statistic 53

11% devs from underrepresented ethnic groups in EU

Statistic 54

20% veterans/military background devs

Statistic 55

31% part-time or freelance women devs

Statistic 56

48% annual turnover rate industry average

Statistic 57

30% leave due to burnout

Statistic 58

Retention 20% higher in unionized studios

Statistic 59

35% turnover in first year for juniors

Statistic 60

15% poached by competitors annually

Statistic 61

42% cite poor management for leaving

Statistic 62

Average tenure 2.5 years

Statistic 63

25% retention boost from remote work

Statistic 64

55% millennials turnover higher

Statistic 65

18% exit due to lack of promotion

Statistic 66

40% women leave mid-career

Statistic 67

28% voluntary quits post-release

Statistic 68

Retention 65% with mentorship programs

Statistic 69

22% turnover from salary dissatisfaction

Statistic 70

50% devs stay <3 years at AAA

Statistic 71

12% fired during layoffs

Statistic 72

37% gen Z highest turnover

Statistic 73

45% improve with exit interviews

Statistic 74

20% rehires within 2 years

Statistic 75

33% turnover in QA roles

Statistic 76

60% retention with stock options

Statistic 77

26% leave for better WLB

Statistic 78

52% annual churn in indies

Statistic 79

14% due to harassment claims

Statistic 80

39% loyalty programs reduce by 15%

Statistic 81

70k layoffs in 2023 affected retention

Statistic 82

75% of studios use job boards for hiring in 2023

Statistic 83

60% prioritize portfolios over degrees

Statistic 84

Average hiring time for senior dev is 45 days

Statistic 85

40% of hires from employee referrals

Statistic 86

25% use LinkedIn as primary source

Statistic 87

15% remote-first hiring post-COVID

Statistic 88

50% require game jams participation

Statistic 89

30% diversity quotas in large studios

Statistic 90

65% interview multiple rounds (3+)

Statistic 91

20% hire via universities/partnerships

Statistic 92

35% use AI screening tools

Statistic 93

45% entry-level from bootcamps

Statistic 94

10% international visa sponsorships

Statistic 95

55% test assignments unpaid initially

Statistic 96

28% hire for soft skills emphasis

Statistic 97

70% background checks standard

Statistic 98

18% blind resume screening adopted

Statistic 99

40% diversity training in hiring

Statistic 100

22% contract-to-hire model used

Statistic 101

60% salary negotiation offered

Statistic 102

32% women hired via targeted outreach

Statistic 103

50% virtual interviews norm

Statistic 104

12% apprenticeships for juniors

Statistic 105

38% skills-based hiring increase

Statistic 106

25% failed hires due to culture fit

Statistic 107

67% of devs seek crunch-free studios

Statistic 108

65% of devs report crunch weekly

Statistic 109

52% experienced harassment last year

Statistic 110

70% want mental health support

Statistic 111

40% union membership interest

Statistic 112

55% satisfaction with culture AAA low

Statistic 113

28% report toxic management

Statistic 114

DEI training in 60% studios

Statistic 115

45% remote reduces stress 30%

Statistic 116

35% burnout prevalence

Statistic 117

62% team building events quarterly

Statistic 118

20% anonymous reporting systems

Statistic 119

50% flexible hours adopted

Statistic 120

38% imposter syndrome common

Statistic 121

75% value work friendships

Statistic 122

15% wellness programs utilized

Statistic 123

42% crunch culture persists indies

Statistic 124

65% leadership training needed

Statistic 125

22% discrimination reports yearly

Statistic 126

58% hybrid model preferred

Statistic 127

30% volunteering encouraged

Statistic 128

48% feedback surveys regular

Statistic 129

25% sabbaticals offered seniors

Statistic 130

67% passion vs burnout balance issue

Statistic 131

18% EAP utilization for stress

Statistic 132

55% inclusive events 80% attendance

Statistic 133

36% workaholism glorified

1/133

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

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While the video game industry creates diverse and fantastical worlds, its own workforce statistics reveal a far less balanced reality: only 24% of developers identify as women, a mere 2% as non-binary, and 70% are white, highlighting a critical gap between the games we play and the people who make them.

Key Takeaways

24% of game developers identify as women in 2022
2% of game developers are non-binary in 2022
70% of game developers are white in 2022
75% of studios use job boards for hiring in 2023
60% prioritize portfolios over degrees
Average hiring time for senior dev is 45 days
48% annual turnover rate industry average
30% leave due to burnout
Retention 20% higher in unionized studios
Average salary $85k USD for devs
15% bonus average
25% have 401k matching
65% of devs report crunch weekly
52% experienced harassment last year
70% want mental health support

The game industry struggles with diversity, high turnover, and intense workplace culture issues.

Compensation and Benefits

Average salary $85k USD for devs
15% bonus average
25% have 401k matching
Health insurance covers 80% premium
PTO average 20 days/year
40% equity in startups
Senior producer $120k avg
12% gender pay gap
Remote stipend $500/month
30% overtime pay mandated EU
QA tester $45k entry
18% profit sharing
Parental leave 12 weeks paid
Gym membership 60% coverage
22% tuition reimbursement
Artist salary $75k avg
35% variable pay structure
Dental/vision 90% covered
10% salary increase YoY
Intern pay $20/hr avg
28% mental health days
Engineer $110k median
45% with HSA contributions
Producer bonus 20% max
16% freelance rate premium

Compensation and Benefits Interpretation

While the industry promises everything from virtual equity to mental health days, the fine print reveals a landscape where an engineer's salary soars like a dragon but a QA tester's starts in the castle dungeon, and your bonus might buy a fancy sword only if you survive the gender pay gap and crunch time without needing that 12-week parental leave.

Demographics and Diversity

24% of game developers identify as women in 2022
2% of game developers are non-binary in 2022
70% of game developers are white in 2022
12% of game developers have disabilities
Average age of game developers is 32 years in 2022
45% of developers at small studios (<10 people) are women
18% of senior roles held by women in 2021
5% of game studio CEOs are women
30% increase in LGBTQ+ identification among devs since 2019
8% of devs are Black or African American
15% Hispanic/Latino devs in US industry
40% of indie devs under 25 years old
22% parental leave takers are fathers
3% Indigenous devs represented
55% male in mobile game dev
28% women in console dev teams
10% devs over 45 years old
7% Asian devs in Western studios
4% Middle Eastern/North African devs
35% Gen Z entering industry
19% devs with visible disabilities
6% Pacific Islander devs
50% urban vs 20% rural devs
14% bi-racial/multiracial devs
26% women in QA roles
9% trans/non-binary senior staff
42% millennials dominate workforce
11% devs from underrepresented ethnic groups in EU
20% veterans/military background devs
31% part-time or freelance women devs

Demographics and Diversity Interpretation

While the gaming industry has finally started to level up its diversity stats, the fact that only 2% of CEOs are women reveals we're still stuck on the tutorial level when it comes to real inclusion and power.

Employee Retention and Turnover

48% annual turnover rate industry average
30% leave due to burnout
Retention 20% higher in unionized studios
35% turnover in first year for juniors
15% poached by competitors annually
42% cite poor management for leaving
Average tenure 2.5 years
25% retention boost from remote work
55% millennials turnover higher
18% exit due to lack of promotion
40% women leave mid-career
28% voluntary quits post-release
Retention 65% with mentorship programs
22% turnover from salary dissatisfaction
50% devs stay <3 years at AAA
12% fired during layoffs
37% gen Z highest turnover
45% improve with exit interviews
20% rehires within 2 years
33% turnover in QA roles
60% retention with stock options
26% leave for better WLB
52% annual churn in indies
14% due to harassment claims
39% loyalty programs reduce by 15%
70k layoffs in 2023 affected retention

Employee Retention and Turnover Interpretation

The video game industry's HR statistics paint a grim comedy where the solution to a catastrophic 48% annual turnover—driven by burnout, poor management, and a cycle of layoffs—is apparently known to everyone but the studios, as unionization, mentorship, remote work, and simply treating people well reliably fix it.

Hiring Practices

75% of studios use job boards for hiring in 2023
60% prioritize portfolios over degrees
Average hiring time for senior dev is 45 days
40% of hires from employee referrals
25% use LinkedIn as primary source
15% remote-first hiring post-COVID
50% require game jams participation
30% diversity quotas in large studios
65% interview multiple rounds (3+)
20% hire via universities/partnerships
35% use AI screening tools
45% entry-level from bootcamps
10% international visa sponsorships
55% test assignments unpaid initially
28% hire for soft skills emphasis
70% background checks standard
18% blind resume screening adopted
40% diversity training in hiring
22% contract-to-hire model used
60% salary negotiation offered
32% women hired via targeted outreach
50% virtual interviews norm
12% apprenticeships for juniors
38% skills-based hiring increase
25% failed hires due to culture fit
67% of devs seek crunch-free studios

Hiring Practices Interpretation

In a realm where portfolios trump parchment and friends open more doors than LinkedIn, the quest for senior talent is a 45-day marathon riddled with unpaid skill trials, yet lit by the hopeful torch of diversity quotas and the collective dream of a crunch-free future.

Workplace Culture and Well-being

65% of devs report crunch weekly
52% experienced harassment last year
70% want mental health support
40% union membership interest
55% satisfaction with culture AAA low
28% report toxic management
DEI training in 60% studios
45% remote reduces stress 30%
35% burnout prevalence
62% team building events quarterly
20% anonymous reporting systems
50% flexible hours adopted
38% imposter syndrome common
75% value work friendships
15% wellness programs utilized
42% crunch culture persists indies
65% leadership training needed
22% discrimination reports yearly
58% hybrid model preferred
30% volunteering encouraged
48% feedback surveys regular
25% sabbaticals offered seniors
67% passion vs burnout balance issue
18% EAP utilization for stress
55% inclusive events 80% attendance
36% workaholism glorified

Workplace Culture and Well-being Interpretation

The video game industry has expertly coded a dystopian workplace simulator where passion fuels burnout, friendships are the only functional perk, and the bosses keep offering more training to fix problems they refuse to solve.