More than 3,700 verified job cuts have been recorded across the global video game industry so far in 2026, according to a report released on Friday, underscoring the continued pressure on gaming companies this year.
Data compiled by TradingPlatforms showed confirmed layoffs at around 3,700. The report said the total is likely higher than 4,000 when unreported cuts, undisclosed workforce reductions, and studio shutdowns are included.
The United States accounted for the largest portion of the confirmed layoffs, with 2,153 job losses, or about 58.2% of the global total.
Among the largest reductions was at Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite and Unreal Engine, which cut roughly 1,000 positions. Bungie, known for the Halo and Destiny franchises, is also set to trim its workforce, with plans to eliminate around 400 jobs during the summer.
France was another major center of gaming-sector layoffs. Ubisoft disclosed about 680 job cuts across several studios as part of a broader restructuring effort.
Canada logged at least 257 gaming-related layoffs. Of those, nearly half came from Eidos-Montréal, where 124 positions were cut after the cancellation of a major AAA project.
The report said the effects of the industry downturn have gone beyond layoffs alone, with some studios shutting down operations altogether during 2026.
Across the broader technology sector, layoffs had reached at least 143,378 by June, the report noted. Outside gaming, cloud and software-as-a-service companies cut nearly 31,900 jobs this year, while e-commerce companies shed close to 21,000 positions. IT services firms reduced headcount by more than 16,700, and social media, enterprise software, and fintech companies each reported workforce reductions exceeding 10,000 employees.
