A new survey shows that in 2011, game developers felt more satisfied with their work, made more money, and were laid off less than in years prior. It's a difference of only minor degrees, but a nice sign that the industry's health is continuing to improve after it was impacted by the global recession.

Gamasutra reports that the 11th annual Game Developer Salary Survey showed that 13% of those working in the games industry say they were laid off in 2011, down from 14% in 2010 and 2009. Among those that were laid off, 58% said they found a new job during the same year, as opposed to 52% who said so in the prior year. The average salary was up too, to $81,192 from $80,817. 66% of respondents said they made more money in 2011 than they did in 2010. Only 56% had said that in relation to 2010/2009.

Not surprisingly, lower chances of layoffs and more money lad to better job satisfaction rates. 65% of those surveyed said they felt "Satisfied" or "Extremely Satisfied," an increase of 4% from the 2010 results.

All of the results show only modest gains rather than leaps and bounds, but any improvement is better than none. We're relatively early in the new year, but it's enough for a hopeful sign that we'll see these trends continue.