A cold application to a job basically has no chance in 2025, and that has not changed much in 2026.
Back in October 2025, we talked with Amir about what it really takes to get hired in game development. Now it is 2026, and many developers are seeing the same challenges. If you are applying to game jobs and hearing nothing back, you are not alone. The industry has changed. Studios hire differently. Competition is global. And much of the old advice no longer works.
Here, we have summarized what actually helps you get hired today as a game developer, based on insights from our Devoted SpeakEasy Ep39 with Amir Satvat.
Who Is Amir Satvat?
Amir Satvat is a Business Development Director at Tencent Games and the founder of the Amir Satvat Community, one of the largest game industry communities online. He tracks hiring trends, layoffs, and job openings across the industry and has helped thousands of developers through mentorship, job listings, and career resources.
He is also a recipient of The Game Awards’ first-ever Game Changer Award in 2024 for his work supporting game developers worldwide. His community has helped thousands of professionals and has partnered with major industry events like GDC and Gamescom.
The State of Game Development Hiring
The game industry is not dead. It is just different.
There were big layoffs in recent years. Studios are still hiring, but in different places and in different ways. Around 70 to 75% of game industry job cuts happened in North America, which is why the impact felt so harsh there.
Many teams are now global. A studio in the US might work with artists in Brazil, engineers in Europe, and designers in Asia. This creates more opportunities worldwide, but also more competition.
At the same time, fully remote job roles are fewer than before. Many studios prefer hybrid teams, regional hubs, or external co-development partners instead of fully remote hires.
What Game Studios Are Actually Hiring For
Studios are not hiring many juniors right now. They want people who can start fast and contribute right away.
Amir Satvat explains that companies are asking for more experience than before, “What I’ve observed is the average seniority level of an open job in games from the last 3 years has increased about 3 years.”
Entry-level roles are harder to find because studios can often hire someone with more experience for the same budget. Amir explains, “If someone’s hiring an entry-level role that calls for one to two years experience, they’re finding that they can hire someone with three to four years experience for the same money.”
This affects who gets hired across the industry. “The two ends of the spectrum that are having the hardest time are those who are the youngest and those who are the oldest, with a sweet spot in the middle,” he says.
Why Cold Applications Do Not Work Anymore
As Amir said earlier. Cold applications do not work anymore.
Recruiters get hundreds or thousands of applications. They cannot read them all. So they rely on people they already know, referrals, and trusted communities.
Applying to 500 jobs without talking to anyone is usually a waste of time.
Instead of sending more applications, focus on being known before you apply. Talk to people in the industry. Share your work publicly. Join communities, game jams, and Discord servers. Comment on posts, attend events, and have conversations that are not about asking for a job.
What to Do Instead of Cold Applying
| Make yourself visible before you apply |
Share your projects, lessons learned, or small dev updates on LinkedIn or other platforms. |
|---|---|
| Talk to people without asking for a job |
Build a real connection first. Opportunities often follow naturally. |
| Join communities and stay active |
Discord servers, game jams, meetups, and conferences are where relationships start. Comment, help others, and share opportunities. |
| Work on production projects when you can |
can start with small contracts, indie teams, or community projects. |
| Apply with warm introductions |
After building relationships, ask for advice or referrals. A familiar name or recommendation is far more likely to get your CV opened than a cold submission. |
Remember! People tend to hire developers they recognize, not just resumes they receive.
Recognizability Is the New Resume
“Our data suggests you may be 20 times or more likely to get hired if the hiring manager or recruiter has any recognizability of who you are.”
Recognizability means people know your name, your work, or your posts before you apply.
You can build this by:
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Posting about your projects on LinkedIn -
Commenting on industry posts
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Joining Discords and communities
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Going to meetups or conferences
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Sharing small dev logs or insights
You do not need to be famous. You just need to be visible.
Again, being seen is more important than having a perfect CV.
How to Build a Portfolio That Gets Interviews
Portfolios still matter, but screenshots are not enough.
Studios want to know:
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What you worked on
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What problems you solved
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How you collaborated with others
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What you learned
Explain your thinking. Show process. Share prototypes and game jams. A simple project with a clear story beats a polished asset with no context.
Who Gets Hired (And Who Struggles)
Hiring is not equal at every career stage.
Amir explains that the easiest time to get hired is usually in the middle of your career, while the hardest times are at the very beginning and the very end.
“Those who are the youngest and those who are the oldest with kind of a sweet spot in the middle.”
Early career (0–3 years): Hard to get hired because studios can hire someone with more experience for the same salary.
Mid-level (5–15 years): Easiest time to get hired because you can work independently and are not as expensive as very senior staff.
Very senior (15–20+ years): Can be harder again because of higher salaries and bias that you might be less hands-on or less familiar with newer trends.
So where should you be?
🎓 If you are in your early career, focus on building experience fast through indie projects, internships, game jams, and small contracts.
🧓 If you are senior, highlight hands-on skills, recent tools, and leadership impact, not just years in the industry.
Common Mistakes That Hold Developers Back
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Spending weeks polishing a CV and never talking to anyone
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Applying to hundreds of jobs without networking
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Hiding your work and waiting to be discovered
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Posting nothing and expecting recognition
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Avoiding communities because of shyness
Passive job searching rarely works.
Watch the full Devoted SpeakEasy episode to hear Amir’s insights on hiring, networking, and career survival in games.
