European studio expenditure on external talent rises 63% in 2025

European studio expenditure on external talent rises 63% in 2025 Number of freelancers collaborating with European studios grew by 24%, according to Games industry employment survey In 2025, European studios increased spending on external roles by 63%, outpacing the global growth rate of 55%. That's according to the 'Talent Signals Reshaping the Games Industry' report by Values Value founder and InGame Job co-founder Tanja Loktionova. The number of freelancers collaborating with European studios grew by 24% last year, while average freelancer income increased by 19% globally. Nearly 60% of studios reported difficulty sourcing qualified specialists, while 54.1% of freelancers struggled to find appropriate projects.