Development studios have been wracked with closings since late 2008.
A new study by M2 Research indicates that 11,488 jobs in the video game industry have been cut since late 2008.
The study produced several specific figures, including:
- 18 studios closed entirely, including 3D Realms, GRIN, and EA's Pandemic Studio
- Layoffs hit 95 studios
- 52 percent of those studios were in the United States
- The majority of the layoffs were internal staff, with QA being on the forefront of cuts
The study also suggests that most of the layoffs were due to difficulties in developing games for current-gen consoles. "Aside from the cost of retooling [for current-gen consoles], others were so focused on their retooling efforts that they weren't able to see the changes in the market and the impact things like digital distribution, casual, and social gaming was starting to have on the market," the study added.
The trend seems to be continuing into the new year, with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment confirming layoffs yesterday at Monolith Productions, Surreal Software, and Snowblind Studios.
