TIGA: 29% of UK games studios continue to face skill shortages
TIGA’s latest survey says the UK games hiring crunch has improved, but it’s still very real for a sizeable chunk of studios. Among the 29% reporting shortages, 79% blamed a lack of applicants with the right skills, experience, or qualifications. Programming stands out as the toughest area to fill, while art and design shortages are much less common at 14%.
For developers, the immediate effect is less about empty job ads and more about pressure on the team: 62% reported heavier workloads for existing staff, and 40% are outsourcing more work. Studios are responding by promoting internally, outsourcing, and increasing training, with an average of 13.5 training days per worker. The survey also shows a workforce that still skews toward experienced hires, which makes the pipeline problem harder to solve long term.
“Skill shortages have eased... but they have not disappeared.”
- what
- 29% of UK games studios still report skill shortages, down from the sector's steepest decline but not resolved.
- who
- TIGA and the University of Portsmouth published the Skills, Training, and Education in the Games Industry report.
- when
- Survey responses were collected in Q4 2025 from 34 game companies employing 3,064 developers.
- impact
- 62% of affected studios report increased workloads; 40% rely more on outsourcing.
Hiring pressure persists, but studios are adapting.
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