(NewsNation) — More than 60% of game developers support unions, and more than half would like to join one, according to the 2025 GDC Salary Report released this month.

Support was even higher among younger developers and those making under $100K a year.

The industry as a whole has been unstable and unsettling to many in recent days. From studio closures to big mergers and acquisitions like Electronic Arts’ $55 billion buyout by a consortium of investors, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, to riffs between executives and developers and the impact of generative AI, workers are getting tired and disillusioned. 

Around a fourth of game industry professionals have been laid off sometime in the past two years, and many of them are still looking for work. 

GDC surveyed 562 game industry professionals in the U.S. to see how salaries and layoffs have impacted the workforce. The average salary was around $142,000, with a median salary of $129,000. 

About 80% of employed respondents said their current salary meets or exceeds their basic needs, but over half (53%) said they feel somewhat or significantly undercompensated at their job based on their role, experience and market conditions. 

Those working in the business and marketing, visual arts, management and operations were more likely to say they feel undercompensated. About 11% of full-time employees say they take on additional work outside of their primary job. 

Per the survey, 9% of respondents said they are currently part of a union, while a majority say they are interested in joining one.