In the wake of the ban on online money games in India, scores of gaming company employees are now in a lurch, worrying about their future and career options. Many employees are searching for alternate avenues, but there seems to be a bit of uncertainty among them with regard to where their careers are heading.
It is not a very rosy picture for the gaming industry as the global gaming industry has seen sweeping layoffs since early 2024, with Unity, Riot Games, Microsoft, Sony, and EA together cutting more than 7,500 jobs. While the shock has been severe, the core skills of gaming professionals are finding strong demand in adjacent industries.
Experts point out that many real-time engine experts in gaming companies have skills that are useful in virtual production in film and TV and automotive UI design, where transition timelines are as short as two to four months. Similarly, graphics and rendering skills (shaders, GPU optimisation, cross-platform performance) are being absorbed into spatial computing at companies such as Apple, Meta, and XR startups, requiring four to six months of adaptation.
“Pipeline automation and technical art (Python, CAD/BIM integration) are powering industrial digital twins with companies like Siemens and NVIDIA, with three to six months of upskilling. Live-ops analytics, monetisation, and user acquisition expertise are moving seamlessly into adtech, fintech, and media platforms within two to three months. In India, displaced talent is finding roles in IT services, edtech, and OTT media as gaming diversifies. Rather than permanent displacement, these layoffs mark a reallocation of talent. Employees who pivot quickly and embrace emerging tools will not only safeguard careers but also drive the next wave of digital transformation,” remarked Manoj Kandoth, founder and director at Urjja.
Experts believe that the evolving regulatory framework in the gaming sector in India has undoubtedly created a phase of uncertainty wherein more than 2,000 professionals are actively exploring new opportunities. “We believe this disruption is likely to be short-lived for most. For employees, this period can be seen as an opportunity to reposition themselves. The skills they bring, whether technical, creative, analytical, or operational, are valuable and highly transferable. Adjacent industries such as IT/ITES, fintech, Edtech, e-commerce, media, and SaaS are already on the lookout for similar talent, and we expect to see many professionals move seamlessly into these sectors. At the same time, larger gaming companies are likely to absorb a portion of this workforce as they diversify and adapt to regulated models,” Aditya Narayan Mishra the CEO and MD of CIEL HR told THE WEEK.
This expert points out that in terms of career progression, the outlook is positive for those who invest in future-ready skills. “Specialists in areas like product development, design, data science, AI, and compliance will continue to command competitive salaries, as their expertise remains in high demand. For broader roles, adaptability, agility, and the willingness to transition into emerging domains will be the differentiators. Employees who embrace upskilling and align themselves with digital-first opportunities will find themselves well-placed to navigate this shift. Overall, the industry is adapting rather than shrinking. The future for gaming professionals lies in leveraging their strengths, building on niche capabilities, and being open to opportunities in adjacent high-growth sectors,” added Mishra.
Experts further point out that the Indian gaming industry is at an inflection point, with regulatory changes around real-money online games triggering major disruption. The ban has resulted in revenue losses of nearly 50 per cent for money-gaming platforms and large-scale layoffs, with a company cutting 60 per cent of its workforce in India. While this correction is painful in the short term, it is also driving a structural shift in the industry. Free-to-play gaming, e-Sports, and gamified content are emerging as strong growth engines, offering sustainable and scalable opportunities. Experts feel that for professionals impacted by this transition, it is important to view the industry’s evolution as a chance to pivot into new and resilient career paths.
“Core technical roles such as game development, UI/UX design, game testing and QA, data analytics, and cloud or backend systems will see increasing demand. At the same time, creative functions, including game art and animation, narrative design, sound design, and video production, will remain central to engaging player experiences. Beyond these, business and community-driven roles in marketing, PR, localisation, community management, and e-Sports operations are becoming equally vital. As the industry recalibrates, talent that blends technical depth, creative capability, and business acumen will define the next chapter of India’s gaming growth story,” pointed out Sanketh Chengappa KG, Director and Business Head – Professional Staffing - Adecco India.
There is no doubt that a stunning change in policy for gaming companies has put a serious question on the status of employees livelihoods. “While the engineering and tech talent may survive the shock non-engineering employees face a clear prospect of layoffs or temporary loss in earnings. Companies engaged in Real Money Gaming (RMG) have begun layoffs or are making two or three months of salary payments in advance either as sustenance money or as severance pay. The future for employees in RMG appears bleak and unlikely to revive in the short term. Only companies that have the capability to survive without earnings may weather this storm,” observed Subramanyam Sreenivasaiah, CEO at Ascent HR.