GDC, which runs the international event for game developers, has released "State of the Game Industry: November 2026" (SOTI), its annual survey of people working in the game industry. An announcement published under the GDC staff byline is dated November 12, 2026, and says more than 2,600 people responded. The share of respondents who use generative AI at work rose to 40%, while 55% think generative AI is having a negative impact on the industry.
Generative AI Use Rose From 36% to 40%
According to the preview page GDC published, 40% of respondents said they use generative AI tools as part of their job. That is up four points from 36% in the previous survey. Of those users, 57% said they use the technology daily.
Daily use varies by group. It was 63% among men and 71% among those in business operations and services. Note that these figures are shares of people who already use generative AI, not shares of all respondents.
Negative Sentiment Holds at 55%, Nearly Unchanged
Even as use spreads, views of generative AI's effect on the game industry remain harsh. GDC gives the following breakdown.
| Impact of generative AI on the industry | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| Negative impact | 55% |
| Mixed impact | 35% |
| Positive impact | 8% |
GDC describes the 55% negative figure as unchanged from 54% in the previous survey. By discipline, QA (quality assurance) and community support reported the highest negative sentiment, at 76%. In other words, more people are using the tools, but negative views have not declined.
A gap also appears in education. Sixty-two percent of educators said they allow, encourage, or require students to use generative AI in coursework. By contrast, only 20% of students said they actually use it.
34% Were Laid Off in the Past Two Years
The employment figures stand out as background. Thirty-four percent of respondents have been laid off at some point in the past two years, rising to 39% among respondents living in the United States. Of those laid off, 54% are still unemployed, GDC says. In the United States, that share is 59%.
Among people working at AAA studios (those making big-budget titles), 68% said they were affected by layoffs in the past 12 months. On working conditions, 65% said their mental health suffered in the past 12 months. Eighty percent of U.S. respondents support unionization.
Next-Gen Console Development Stays Around 10%
Among the platforms respondents are developing for, PC was the most common at 81%. The table below lists the main figures GDC gave.
| Platform | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| PC | 81% |
| PlayStation 5 (including PS5 Pro) | 45% |
| Xbox Series X/S | 37% |
| Steam Deck | 32% |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | 29% |
| Steam Machine | 21% |
The figures to watch are for next-generation home consoles. GDC says Xbox and PlayStation are preparing new consoles for release in the next one to four years. Against that backdrop, 10% of respondents are planning their upcoming games for the next PlayStation, and 8% for Xbox's next console, nicknamed "Project Helix."
Among game engines, Unreal Engine stood at 35% (42% previously) and Unity at 28% (30% previously), both down. Proprietary engines rose from 19% to 23%. Development for VR/AR/MR fell from 8% to 3%.
Release Timing Moved From Early in the Year to Year's End
SOTI has until now been released at the beginning of each year. According to the GDC staff announcement, the release has been moved to near the end of the year starting with this edition. As a result, 2026 saw a second release, following the January edition. The January edition drew responses from more than 2,300 game industry professionals, and 36% of them used generative AI.
The full report is available by registering on GDC's site. The registration page names Omdia as the research partner for the survey. As of this writing, the preview page does not disclose when the survey was conducted.
Our Take
The finding that more than half of users turn to generative AI every day suggests it is becoming an everyday tool in some roles. The 71% daily-use figure in business operations and services appears to reflect that.
However, negative sentiment remains at 55% and reaches 76% in QA and community support. An employment picture in which one in three respondents has been laid off may be influencing that assessment. That sentiment did not move even as use rose four points seems to show that wider use does not mean wider acceptance.
That said, what could be confirmed here is limited to the preview page. Which stages of production the tools are used in, and the detailed breakdown by discipline, cannot be judged without reading the full report. How to read the numbers depends on where one sits, on the development floor or on the management side.
Summary
In the November edition of GDC's survey, the share of people using generative AI at work rose to 40%, while the share who see harm to the industry was 55%, nearly unchanged from the previous survey. The results matter not only to people who make games but also to players who care about titles made with generative AI. SOTI will continue to be released near the end of the year, according to the announcement.
