Last time, we shared some general tips about what skills and tools you need to get a job as a game developer in 2025. However, the game development industry is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field. It’s characterized by technological advancements and continuous innovation, and as we find in this article, subjected to external factors such as financial and industrial pressures.
If you want an edge over the competition, it’s important to get timely and accurate information about what game studios and teams are looking for now. Bonus points if you can get advice from someone who’s doing the actual hiring!
If that’s what you’re looking for, then you’re in luck today. That’s exactly what we have in store for you today. We had a chat with a game director that has had multiple years in the industry and has been involved with a lot of hiring decisions.
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About the interviewee
The Whole Tomato team had a chat with Julian Bock (called Jules by friends and colleagues), an expert figure in the game development industry with almost two decades of experience. Based in Germany, Bock is currently working as the managing director at NUKKLEAR. Until just this March, he was the Director for Product Development at PLAION, the game development and publishing company responsible for the recently released and highly-acclaimed Kingdom Come Deliverance II.
We asked for his insights and comments about what’s going on in the game development industry and how that has affected how they look for new team members for their projects.
Current State of the Game Development Industry
Jog hunting in the game development industry in 2025 is highly competitive owing mostly to the post-pandemic slump and the proliferation of AI-assisted development. These two factors have slowed down demand while at the same time increasing individual efficiency, making the competition tight, especially for new developers breaking into the industry.
For context, the pandemic spurred unprecedented growth (13% rate of return from 2017–2021), but expansion tapered dramatically to around 1% from 2021–2023. Now, it is only projecting 5% through 2028.
And for aspiring game developers or fresh graduates, the state of the game industry is one of the major (albeit uncontrollable) factors that decide how difficult it is to score your first role or job in as a gamedev.
Bock explains that during the pandemic, “we had a lot more time for entertainment.” But when the lockdowns gradually eased up, the demand for games slowed down but the companies and businesses still had to realize the investments made during the pandemic boom.
“We came to the point that a lot of more money was invested into this obviously booming industry which led to projects being started, a lot of more publishers, and a lot more developers.”
But inevitably, the market stabilizes and investments slow down. So this forms a problem for new developers wherein there had been still a lot of games being published because companies still had the budget from pandemic investments, but at the same time, there were fewer and fewer players than before.
The Reality of Modern Game Development Teams
Game development is fundamentally a team sport that requires long-term commitment. Most major projects operate on 3-5 year development cycles, with studios relying heavily on a stable core team of experienced developers. “It’s very important, in my view, that you start with a very strong, reliable core team,” explains Bock, who has managed teams ranging from 5 to 200+ people across various projects, including the recently released Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
This doesn’t mean newcomers are locked out—quite the opposite. Studios need a healthy mix of senior, regular, and junior developers for both cost reasons and for maintaining a pipeline of talent. The key is understanding where you fit in this ecosystem and how to position yourself for growth.
What It Really Takes to Get Hired in 2025
Tip 1: Scout the team you’re trying to join and see what you bring to the table.
Companies will always look for the best fit in terms of team composition. Regardless of your current skill level and experience, Bock also emphasizes how important it is to understand the team dynamics and composition of a usual game development team.
Teams can’t just be full of seniors—that becomes extremely expensive fast. There will always be space for less experienced devs. As mentioned above, studios need a healthy mix of senior, regular, and junior developers for both cost reasons and to have access to a broader set of skills.
So how to stand out as a junior dev? Understand the company and show them your potential and willingness to learn.
Bock advises: “For the young people reading this, it’s important to know if you are being hired in a company, [understand that] as a young developer, you can develop yourself while learning on the job, learning from the seniors, and getting insight of the realities from leadership.”
If you are able to research and scout the company and the team look for answers to these questions:
- How big is the company I am joining?
- Is it more of an indie or a mid to large-sized company?
- Do I know if the company is in the middle of producing a new game?
- Are they looking for any specific specialization? Or are they filling in general gaps in the workplace?
- Do my skills fit the current project of the company?
- What do I know about the genre of games being developed?
- Upon joining, what do I provide the company? Can this change if they train me?
Tip 2: Cultural Fit vs. Technical Skills
Another key consideration that Julian shared is to mind not only what skills you bring to the table, but also how you bring those to work. The output and pace of the project is dictated by the team building it. As someone who wants in on a project, you need to have certain skills and knowledge (or affinity for them), as well as a compatible mindset when joining the team.
Getting to keep a job is just as important as bagging it the first time around. A nail that sticks out gets hammered. Know your role, learn how to collaborate, and see how you can try out new things without slowing down your teammates in the process.
Ask yourself not only what the company can do for me, but also what can I do for the company—keeping it balanced, of course.
Tip 3: Flexibility is Your Greatest Asset
In connection with the last tip, as someone starting out in a new team, the most important trait for new developers isn’t necessarily technical prowess—it’s flexibility. “What is really important for young developers is being flexible,” Bock emphasizes. This means being willing to start at an appropriate level, prove your value and potential, and then negotiate your next step based on performance.
The games industry isn’t the highest-paying tech sector. With the same skillset and affinity for coding, developers who prioritize maximum compensation might find better opportunities in fintech or enterprise software, for instance.
However, game development offers something unique: the opportunity to create experiences that generate genuine emotional responses in players. As Bock puts it, “You’re delivering an experience to the player… you’re delivering emotions.”
Tip 4: Do I specialize or do I generalize?
The eternal question of whether to specialize or develop broad skills depends heavily on the type of projects you want to work on. For small indie teams of 5-10 people, generalist skills are invaluable—you might need to handle everything from gameplay programming to UI design. However, larger AAA productions with teams of 100+ developers typically seek specialists: combat designers, vehicle systems programmers, or technical artists with specific expertise.
Most developers cannot afford to take long breaks as the average pay grade cannot sustain such long breaks. Devs don’t generally get any revenue share or royalties from the project they worked on too. After a release or at the start of a new game development cycle, devs have three main options:
- Continue post-launch to produce patches, expansion content, DLCs, etc,
- Get reassigned to a new team to start/continue developing a new game
- Jump ship and start looking for a new project altogether
The smart approach for newcomers is to develop a solid foundation across multiple disciplines while building deeper expertise in one area that genuinely interests you. This gives you the flexibility to contribute to smaller teams while positioning yourself for specialized roles as you gain experience.
Bonus Tip: The AI Imperative
Perhaps the most critical advice for 2025 and beyond centers on artificial intelligence. “If I would be like a young graduate today… I think it’s most important to enter the AI game with clarity and dedication.” Bock advises.
While many roles in game development will likely be impacted or replaced by AI in the coming years, those who can effectively work with AI tools will become indispensable. “Some see AI as a threat, some as a chance. Don’t resist, try to rule while using it!”
This trend is already visible across the industry. Companies like Ubisoft are experimenting with AI-powered procedural generation tools, while indie developers are using AI for everything from concept art to dialogue writing. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, emerging developers should embrace it as a powerful multiplier for their creativity and productivity.
Our note: Regardless of your stance on the usage of AI in the workplace, we cannot deny its usefulness in multiple areas of game development. Thus, new developers need to adapt to the demands of those who are hiring or else they risk being overshadowed by their AI-using peers.
Green flag, red flags for job hunters
What Studios Are Looking For
Beyond technical skills, studios value developers who understand the broader context of game development. This means grasping the business realities—budgets, timelines, and market pressures—that influence creative decisions. The best junior developers don’t just ask “What can the company do for me?” but try to keep a healthy balance and also consider “What can I do for the company?” as well.
Cultural fit matters enormously, especially for core team positions. Game development is inherently collaborative, and toxic team members can derail projects that represent years of investment. Studios look for people who can handle criticism, adapt to changing requirements, and maintain positive relationships under pressure.
Building Your Foundation
While formal education can provide valuable structure and networking opportunities, the industry increasingly values demonstrable skills over degrees. A strong portfolio showcasing completed projects—even small ones—carries more weight than academic credentials alone. Contributing to open-source projects, participating in game jams, or creating mods for existing games can provide the practical experience that makes a resume stand out.
The rise of accessible development tools like Unity, Unreal Engine, and Godot means there are fewer barriers to entry than ever before. You can download professional-grade software and start building games immediately. What matters is the quality of what you create and your ability to discuss your design decisions intelligently.
Looking Forward: The Consolidation Opportunity
While the current industry contraction might seem discouraging, it also represents an opportunity. The market is moving toward “more quality product, less product,” as Bock predicts. This means that skilled developers who can contribute to polished, memorable experiences will be in high demand.
The key is positioning yourself for this future by developing skills that complement rather than compete with AI, building a network within the industry, and maintaining the flexibility to adapt as the landscape continues to evolve. Whether you’re interested in indie development, mobile games, or AAA productions, the fundamental principle remains the same: focus on creating great experiences for players, and the career opportunities will follow.
Game development remains one of the most rewarding creative fields for those willing to embrace its challenges. The industry needs fresh talent with new perspectives, and there’s never been a better time to start building the skills that will define the next generation of gaming experiences.
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