In this article, we will continue to address this important topic by discussing the Ukrainian video games industry in numbers and facts.

In this article you will learn:

• In-demand and vulnerable professions.
• Salaries and job satisfaction.
• Perks and benefits.

Based on materials:

Big Games Industry Employment Survey 2023, market research based on the InGame Job portal, internal statistics of Values Value, and other public sources (DOU, Djinni, etc.).

What is Happening With The Ukrainian Labor Market

• The era of the “candidates’ market” has come to an end. It’s now the companies who are in the driver’s seat when it comes to hiring.
• The number of job seekers now exceeds available job openings by a staggering ninefold as of Q2 2023.
• Competition for job vacancies has intensified, with an increase from 8.5 to 9.15 candidates per position in the first two quarters of 2023.
• In comparison to the previous year, the number of candidate profiles published monthly has surged by 45%.
• Candidate numbers have seen substantial growth, with an 8% increase in Q1-Q2 2023 and a remarkable 150% surge from Q2 2022 to Q2 2023.
• Emphasis on Senior+ level experts:

Despite the availability of candidates in the market, top specialists continue to be a challenge to find and recruit.

• Unchanged salary expectations during the headhunting process:

At Values Value, we have not observed a decrease in salary expectations throughout the headhunting process.

• A decrease in the number of job offers for Junior-level positions.
• The hiring process now takes longer compared to the speed of job offer issuance in previous years.

Number of Job Ads

(InGame Job research)

We can see that the number of vacancies in Ukraine slightly decreased in the third quarter.

Geography of Hiring

The distribution of vacancies by cities remains consistent after the full-scale war began: Kyiv is in the lead, followed by Lviv. Remote work as an option continues to be the second most frequently mentioned format of cooperation in the job postings.

The Most Hiring Companies in Ukraine

Outsourcing companies with overseas clients continue to lead in terms of hiring activity within the country.

The Most In-Demand Jobs

As InGame Job reported, currently the most in-demand fields in companies are Art & Animation (21.18%), Programming & Development (20,45%), Marketing & PR (12,237%), Communication Management & Support (7,51%), Producing & Management (7,22%).

Among TOP 5 most wanted specialists are: Support specialist, 2D Artist, Game Designer, Unity Developer, and 3D Artist. It’s interesting enough, Unity programmers are sought in Ukraine by 47% more than UE.

The labor market is currently abundant with highly skilled professionals due to recent layoffs. Senior-level experts who were made redundant are now actively seeking employment and are even considering mid-level positions that offer lower salaries but are better than having no job at all. 

Salaries And Income Satisfaction

Big Games Industry Employment Survey 2023

• Gender pay gap

Gender pay gap is always a topic to discuss. This year is no exception.
Currently, men in the Ukrainian games industry earn an average of €2,315 (before tax), while women earn €1,544 monthly.

• Salaries by level

If we take into account the level of experience of gamedev specialists, then their median gross monthly income will be as follows:

• Trainee – 530 euros,
• Junior – 800 euros,
• Middle – 1667 euros,
• Senior – 2917 euros,

Expert/Top/Chief/Head/VP – 4,000 euros.

The Ukrainian games industry is navigating a challenging landscape in 2023. While it faces various obstacles, there are also positive indicators of resilience and growth. The industry continues to adapt to the evolving global landscape, offering opportunities and challenges for professionals across different disciplines.

Income satisfaction

29% of the respondents claim that they earn enough to buy everything needed for life, but without saving some amount. Whereas only 14% of respondents are able to afford everything needed plus save some money. 

Bonuses and benefits

The most common financial bonuses are paid sick leave, annual bonus, as well as extra payment for overtime. Those are basics, which, in the European region, companies must provide to its employees by law. 

30% mentioned not having financial bonuses. 

Most often, regarding non-financial bonuses, gamedev specialists can get health insurance/medical care, foreign language classes, birthday and wedding gifts, funding for external education, and more.

“Overall the recession continues worldwide and the Ukrainian market is not an exception but at the same time AAA developers continue work on their promising titles and keep hiring top notch professionals. Outsourcing companies still attract new clients and projects which means that the hirings will go on and the industry will keep developing. Investments also came back to Ukraine, so we feel quite positive about the future of the Ukrainian games industry. We believe that the crisis is not forever and we will see more positive news soon”.