Report: Australian game industry jobs drop over 50% since 2008

It's been a rough couple years for the games industry in Australia, a new Interactive Skills Integration Scheme survey shows. Currently, the figures (via GameSpot) suggest there are 931 full-time positions across 126 studios in the game industry Down Under, which excludes, oddly enough, "educational and other serious games." With over 1,000 jobs lost since 2008, the survey suggests a decline in jobs of over 50 percent there.

Data shows that Victoria holds the most industry jobs, accounting for 410 full-time development positions across 44 different studios. Brisbane is second, with 22 studios employing 262 full-time developers. Sydney has 144 devs working at 17 studios.

According to project lead Justin Brow, the loss of jobs is part of an exodus -- partly due to the country's lack of compelling IP, partly due to the strength of the country's dollar and partly because of the limited opportunities at the remaining big studios. That's not to say it's all doom and gloom there: companies like Halfbrick are showing that success can be had.

"I want Australia to be more competitive in the global games industry," Brow said. "I know we can do it. We have the innovation, creativity, and technology to do it, and we have good business relationships. There is no reason why we cannot be a leading light in the serious games market."

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Report: Australian game industry jobs drop over 50% since 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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