Most Finnish game development studios are SMEs, which means that small team sizes often require one member to take on multiple responsibilities. This makes it challenging to maintain focus and progress systematically in the current uncertain business environment. As a result, game developers interviewed identified a need for better skills in leadership, process and production management, decision-making, investment prioritization, and seeing the bigger picture. While solid core skills are still essential in a complex game development environment, they can risk creating silos, where teams struggle to cooperate and work towards a shared vision.
Talent shortage has been one of the key challenges for the Finnish Game Industry for over a decade. The pandemic pushed the industry into remote working mode, and remote or hybrid work is expected to continue. On one hand, cross-border remote work has allowed Finnish game developers to access a wider talent pool. On the other hand, it has introduced new challenges, such as navigating local employment and social security rules through employer of record services, as well as addressing team work, team building, and brainstorming issues. Building a company culture is never easy but becomes even more challenging when the team is primarily remote.
According to some studies, pandemic has in general increased occurrence of mental health problems in society, and the current global uncertainty does not alleviate this burden. It is very likely, that the situation is the same also in the game industry.
