Animation remained the most in-demand discipline while Motion Design surged to second place at 15%, driven by a significant increase in creative agency and tech company hiring. Together, Animation and Motion Design accounted for 33% of all roles in May, the highest combined share since ArtBlast began tracking. VFX held at 10%. 3D Art demand softened relative to earlier months as many studios filled their generalist pipelines in Q1.

The Walt Disney Company led May 2026 with 27 roles, primarily VFX and animation positions tied to active productions across Lucasfilm and its animation divisions. VFX and film pipeline studios dominated the top 10 for the third consecutive month. Cloud Imperium Games was the most active dedicated game studio with 11 openings, continuing its large-scale production push. IGG also placed high with 10 roles across 2D and 3D art disciplines.

8% of May listings included salary data, up from 5% in April. Salary transparency remains highest in North America and the UK. The ranges below reflect available data from 130 listings. European and Asian postings rarely include compensation figures.

Week 2 (May 8-14) was the peak week at 452 jobs, consistent with April’s pattern of mid-month surges following hiring approvals. Volume dropped sharply in Week 4, likely reflecting the start of the summer slowdown ahead of E3 season. The final three days of May accounted for 101 jobs, a natural end-of-month tail.