Gaming’s post-pandemic boom is fading as growth slows and layoffs mount
- Post-pandemic gaming growth slowed to roughly 1% a year, down sharply from lockdown-era highs.
- Acquisition multiples for game studios crashed from 10x revenue to just 1.5-3x, making them a poor VC bet.
- Over 44,000 gaming jobs have been cut since 2022 — 2026 alone could see about 14,259 layoffs, up 78% since January.
- Private investment in gaming fell 55% in 2025 as studios cancel projects, trim budgets and shift work to AI tools.
Source: livemint.com
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