The Swedish gaming industry is currently experiencing significant difficulties characterized by bankruptcies, layoffs, and challenges in securing investment. The situation has led to a reassessment of workforce sizes, with companies like Cult of the North recently declaring bankruptcy despite strong prior investments. Major firms, such as King, are also reducing their staff significantly, impacting many international workers. The overall sentiment reflects a growing concern about the industry's future, with predictions of continued struggles through 2025 and beyond.
"The funding's gone. The studio is dying," its founder Adam Schaub wrote on LinkedIn. For years, gaming has been one of Sweden's largest exports, with the gaming industry employing thousands in recent years.
A lot of people are shocked," union ombudsman Dag Bremberg told the newspaper. "A large amount of those affected are foreign citizens whose residence permits rely on them having work in Sweden."
It's natural that you reassess the size of your staff," he said, "but what we're seeing now is much larger. It's a negative perfect storm."
The discussion has gone from 'it'll be better in 2024', to '2025 looks like it will be difficult', to 'oh god, what is 2026 going to be like,'" Karl Magnus Troedsson told Svenska Dagbladet.
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