2024 was the year the gaming industry hit bottom

Games with black characters and characters were derided as forced. Female characters who were considered unattractive or masculine were suffering from “D’s chin“. Dragon Age: Veilhas been criticized by far-right trolls for its customization options, which allow players to create characters with higher surgical scars or play with a non-binary companion. After reviews were released, conspirators used platitudes or other language as evidence that BioWare was instructing reviewers on how to talk about their game.

Even titles that have not yet been released have faced bombing. Coercion games South of Midnightabout a young black woman in the Deep South, angered anti-DEI crowds on platforms like X, where they Photoshop Heroine to make her seem less “disgusting” and put forward conspiracy theories about Sweet Baby’s influence on the game’s development.

But the pressure to remain apolitical — a peculiar agenda for an entertainment form that combines artistic preferences for narrative and fantasy worlds while giving power to the players who inhabit these worlds — has not only come from a vocal minority. After release Black Legend: WukongThere were some signs Specific instructions To avoid talking about Covid-19 or “feminist propaganda.” The guidelines had the opposite effect, encouraging streamers to use code words they were banned from: putting pressure on standards meant to effectively censor players.

Looking forward to By 2025, Paul says he’s hearing more pessimism overall, but “it’s hard to think about, let alone predict.” If there’s a positive, he says, it’s that there is “a lot more hiring than is generally thought. The downside is that this generally doesn’t compensate, especially in the Indies.”

As 2024 draws to a close, the industry is – from the outside – operating with a business-as-usual mentality. In early December, developers gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate The Game Awards. On stage, host Geoff Keighley gave a small speech, amid game announcements, accolades and a performance by Snoop Dogg.

“The sad truth is that over the past few years the gaming industry has suffered significant and unprecedented industry-wide layoffs,” Kelly said. “It impacts the games we play and, more importantly, the people who make the games we love. We can debate and certainly disagree with the reasons why, and frankly, as a show, we’re kind of struggling with how to address these topics in a constructive way.”

Keighley used this clip to present the TGA’s first “Game Changer” Award, a nod to an individual who has had a positive impact on the industry. Then the show continued, with announcements dominating the headlines about major projects such as… Witcher 4 The following address is from The last of us Developer Naughty Dog.

And amidst all this there is the specter of artificial intelligence. There is still little known about how much AI will continue to grow and how future games might use it, but Increased anxiety Regular workers are also being laid off. No one knows when or if the industry will rebound with sustainable jobs and compensation. Yes, there will be games to play. It is difficult to say how many people will be able to make it.