Itch.io Game Bundle Offers 127 Games for $10 to Support Laid Off Developers

It's been a turbulent handful of years for video game developers, as we've witnessed a staggering number of layoffs, canceled games, and studio closures as the industry adjusts to AI advancements.

The unfortunate reality is that while game workers pour their hearts and souls into their projects, creating thrilling narratives and astonishingly beautiful worlds for us to spend countless hours exploring, many of these game workers are forced to deal with a severe lack of job security.

Luckily, indie developers are banding together to raise money for the Game Worker Hardship Fund, with an Itch.io game bundle including 127 games that you can buy for just $10.

Indie Devs Have Raised Over 100K to Support Laid Off Game Workers

As these layoffs leave workers scrambling to find new jobs and dipping into their savings to cover rent, groceries, and medical bills, the Game Worker Hardship Fund was launched by the United Videogame Workers union, UVW-CWA, to aid those affected by the layoffs who reside in the US and Canada.

According to the UVW-CWA, these relief funds are meant to help game workers cover the cost of basic living expenses: "You are eligible to apply whether you work at AAA, mobile, indie studios, and whether you are a full-time, part-time, or contract worker. You are also eligible to apply whether you have been directly laid off, lost work as a freelancer or contractor, or been impacted by layoffs in some other way. The primary use of this fund would be to request assistance with unavoidable expenses like groceries, rent, medical costs, etc."

Part of the fund is coming directly from the UVW-CWA's membership dues, but Necrosoft Games has also stepped up to organize an Itch.io bundle of games to raise money for the fund, with a goal of $200,000—and they're almost half-way there already.

The bundle includes 127 games and is worth over $1,000, but for a short time, you can scoop them up for just $10. These games have been donated by 109 different creators who wish to help with the cause, and some of the titles included in the bundle are award-winning games, such as: A Short Hike, and Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure.

100% of the money raised from the bundle will go towards the hardship fund. Game workers will be able to apply for two different types of funds:

• Small Funds Tier — Requests under USD $1,000
• Major Expenses Tier — Requests between USD $1,000 - $5,000

Game Workers Stand United

Some of the most notable recent layoffs have come from Microsoft and Ubisoft, who have collectively laid off thousands of employees this year, creating long-lasting ripple effects in peoples' lives, but even with this information available to the public, it can still be hard to see the full scope of the problem.

Necrosoft Games, who organized the Game Industry Hardship Fund bundle, paints a pretty grim picture of what it's like to be a game worker right now: "The game industry has a problem. Too many people are out of work. Reports say 33% of the industry lost their jobs in the last two years, and the jobs they could fill are disappearing as CEOs try to replace them with AI. It's hard for companies to adjust to the new shape of the game industry, but even harder for the people they should be employing."

The hard truth here is that even if a team of developers does an outstanding job on a game, and it becomes extremely successful, it still doesn't guarantee anything. These devs are sometimes unfortunately rewarded for their hard work by being told to look for a new job, because the company they work for has a new plan to restructure and cut costs amid a drastic change in the industry.