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Do Any of You Want to Work in the Games Industry?
- Thread starter Deleted member 4034
- Start date
From a software development perspective: nah. Shit pay and shit hours and shit security. Could get a job better in all aspects easier due to how many kids out there are willing to take the downsides in order to say they work on games.
No way, as a software engineer I'll make more money and have better hours just about anywhere else.
If I'm gonna do anything, it'll be an indie company I run myself.
If I'm gonna do anything, it'll be an indie company I run myself.
Honestly the worst part is sometimes I have no desire to play video games at home and get more frustrated with things that should be better but aren't. The nice part is you really respect the small things done well, because you know someone worked insanely hard on that little slice of game. My experience, anyway.
With respect to as a career as whole, the industry is much better than it was 10 years ago. We still have a lot of problems, which very much depend on wherr you work, but it's getting better. Pay is still much lower than other industries, though. But I don't necessarily blame that on developers, it's just that there are so many people that want to work in games, the lower than average pay and occasionally long hours weeds out the less serious ones in the earlier years if their career.
With respect to as a career as whole, the industry is much better than it was 10 years ago. We still have a lot of problems, which very much depend on wherr you work, but it's getting better. Pay is still much lower than other industries, though. But I don't necessarily blame that on developers, it's just that there are so many people that want to work in games, the lower than average pay and occasionally long hours weeds out the less serious ones in the earlier years if their career.
As an artist:
Yes, seeing as it's one of the few industries outside of film which require lots of concept art and illustration. I really want to have in-house studio experience, at a place like Blizzard or Arenanet. Of course, that's gonna be several years down the line in my case.
How good of a "traditional" artist do you have to be? I know 2D animation requires good draftsmanship, but I have no clue about video game animation.
Yes, seeing as it's one of the few industries outside of film which require lots of concept art and illustration. I really want to have in-house studio experience, at a place like Blizzard or Arenanet. Of course, that's gonna be several years down the line in my case.
How good of a "traditional" artist do you have to be? I know 2D animation requires good draftsmanship, but I have no clue about video game animation.
actually submitted an application to a data science position for Sledgehammer a couple years ago (let's be real, that was probably an analyst job working to "maximize user engagement" / in other words microtransactions)
didn't get any response, probably for the best
didn't get any response, probably for the best
Lots of people in here seem to have some misconceptions, like in regards to money and security. You can make as much money as you want if you strive for it? The games industry is making billions every year so there are people out here eating very well and nothing more secure than working for yourself, how are you going to fire yourself?
I did want to. I have a Bachelor's degree in Game Design and Development (art concentration) but the industry is simply way too difficult to crack into unless you're super talented - and I'm not. It's unfortunate, but I still have a bunch of friends from college and maybe one day we'll make a game. I think the biggest problem for me is I'd love to be a game designer. I feel I'm quite good at directing others, providing a clear vision, and discovering fun mechanics. But if you can't bring a impressive art background or coding expertise to the table as well it's irrelevant.
I always wanted to own my own game store ever since a kid.
Now knowing EB Games/ Gamestop bullies mom and pop game stores into oblivion made me reconsider. Look it up.
Now knowing EB Games/ Gamestop bullies mom and pop game stores into oblivion made me reconsider. Look it up.
I'm pretty sure most of these people are approaching it from software dev side... it's easier to make a living doing financial software than coding a game.
Yeah in marketing, would be fun.
It isn't one of my goals though, any entertainment industry will do.
It isn't one of my goals though, any entertainment industry will do.
Probably not to make a living off.
Ideally if I was very well off with income streams elsewhere and had some spare time I might be interested in funding/investing in games and ideas. As an investor and gamer I might get for some behind the scenes type stuff on game making. As someone with programming background I'll be pretty up front about project deadlines and expectations.
At best I'd write some reviews. If I was awesome at some famous esports games I'd consider coaching but I'm not really feeling anything beyond a mild fancy for these things.
Ideally if I was very well off with income streams elsewhere and had some spare time I might be interested in funding/investing in games and ideas. As an investor and gamer I might get for some behind the scenes type stuff on game making. As someone with programming background I'll be pretty up front about project deadlines and expectations.
At best I'd write some reviews. If I was awesome at some famous esports games I'd consider coaching but I'm not really feeling anything beyond a mild fancy for these things.
I'm at 7 years now. My first job, I commuted 4 hours a day, and after gas, tolls, and rent, I was losing money going to work, as I was making less than minimum wage in an associate role. I lied to my parents after college and told them I worked in marketing.
Zero regrets though. You're going to sweat, but it's a lot of fun, and I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else. I'd caution against staying with any company for too long, because that tends to put you in a bad negotiating position.
Zero regrets though. You're going to sweat, but it's a lot of fun, and I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else. I'd caution against staying with any company for too long, because that tends to put you in a bad negotiating position.
I think I would want to work in it in a localizer or translator capacity. Even knowing how hard some people are to please when anyone lays a finger on their waifu games.
Programming, QA, etc seem like really tough areas that would sap your energy quickly. Crunch, having to play games top to bottom in 100 different ways, etc. I'm sure there's a ton of horror stories about working to translate and adapt games for different audiences, but those come out less often.
If we're talking about indie stuff, I keep telling myself to dip my toes in that water. No one makes the kind of stuff I want to see, and that might not change unless there is some kind of provable audience for it. I have a mostly unused copy of GameMaker, Toby Fox made it look easy.
Programming, QA, etc seem like really tough areas that would sap your energy quickly. Crunch, having to play games top to bottom in 100 different ways, etc. I'm sure there's a ton of horror stories about working to translate and adapt games for different audiences, but those come out less often.
If we're talking about indie stuff, I keep telling myself to dip my toes in that water. No one makes the kind of stuff I want to see, and that might not change unless there is some kind of provable audience for it. I have a mostly unused copy of GameMaker, Toby Fox made it look easy.
Always did ever since I was a kid. I think I read back in the early/mid-'80s about Richard Garriott during his early days at Origin having rubber band gun battles in the office. Sounded so cool to this then 4th or 5th grader.
Got my first industry job in 1995, and I'm still doing it. I love games even more now than I did when I was younger, and while I've seen my fair share of bad things and been through a number of layoffs and company closures, I wouldn't want to be in any other industry. It just feels right being around like-minded people who enjoy the same things I do.
Got my first industry job in 1995, and I'm still doing it. I love games even more now than I did when I was younger, and while I've seen my fair share of bad things and been through a number of layoffs and company closures, I wouldn't want to be in any other industry. It just feels right being around like-minded people who enjoy the same things I do.
I think that maybe I would, but my background is purely Business Administration/Human Resource and I don't think there's any room on teams for someone of my limited skill set, so I've kind of just accepted that it's not an industry I'll ever see myself in. I figured I'd apply for the HR department of a few of the bigger development studios around the area in which I live, (I live a bit south of Seattle), to see if I could at least be somewhat close to the industry in that way, but I'm quite sure that the competition to get those positions are notably stiff so I'm not putting too many eggs in that basket. I love the hobby and the industry, that's for sure, but I can't help but wonder if I'd be better served by trying to get on at a place that would pay for a good portion of my MBA, such as Amazon or a decent government job, as I really just want to get my Master's degree and maybe start teaching Human Resources or Business at a local College if I can't get into the industry.
I would love to help manage it since I have project management experience. Or a consultant. Some developers are so out of touch with what people want and I feel like I could bridge that gap. So yes! Hire me :)
I would like to but the closer I get to finishing my master's in computer science, the more inadequate I feel, like I don't know anything...haha...help.
While I've worked in certain parts of the industry for the last 10 years, I kinda hope to transition into a more hands on direct position at a major publisher sometime in the next 4 years.
But we will see if I pursue it or not. There are pro's and con's and I kinda like what I do right now and can potentially make big money doing it.
But part of me would like to get a bit more involved directly. I would never want to be involved in actually making games though. More market research / sales position
But we will see if I pursue it or not. There are pro's and con's and I kinda like what I do right now and can potentially make big money doing it.
But part of me would like to get a bit more involved directly. I would never want to be involved in actually making games though. More market research / sales position
I've been writing about games in a professional capacity on and off for the better part of 20 years now, sometimes full time, sometimes as a freelancer. As for seeing it from the other side, I can say it's definitely good that I've taken some breaks over the years to just be a fan of my hobby and only focus on the games I want to play, rather than spending an inordinate amount of time with games that typically don't interest me, because maintaining a level of objectivity is not always easy when it comes to covering things as subjective as art and entertainment.
For the most part, though, I enjoy what I do, and I get to meet some really talented, passionate developers and other industry professionals.
For the most part, though, I enjoy what I do, and I get to meet some really talented, passionate developers and other industry professionals.
I want to work in the industry but only part time. There's too much stress in it from what I hear and gamers are too toxic. Plus I don't know if I'd be able to work with shitty companies like EA for an extended period of time.
I would love to write for a publication and be paid for it, but I've been extremely discouraged by the lack of diversity and inclusion across all (mainstream) gaming publications. I'm also reminded frequently that gaming hates people like me through the various displays of racism, ableism and very real experiences of invisibility. I need more time, too, and unlike my days in education, I don't know of any place that would make allowances for my condition. So, I worry about my health, safety and happiness. Can't help feeling that as a thirty-something, the chance to find a stable career in that arena has gone, so, apart from a few snippets here and there on social media, and my blog page, I'm trying to find a disturbed peace with that.
I don't know if I would ever go into the gaming industry hearing all the bad shit about it, but a part of me still wants to try.
I'm working on a small project, built completely with my passion for gaming and dissecting stories and gameplay. It's my dream to have at least one game i've finished up on a marketplace, even if it's just Steam. After that.. who knows.
If I could make it as a YouTuber focused on gaming i'd probably love the hell out of that, but I don't feel i'm as articulate (or funny) in person.
I'm working on a small project, built completely with my passion for gaming and dissecting stories and gameplay. It's my dream to have at least one game i've finished up on a marketplace, even if it's just Steam. After that.. who knows.
If I could make it as a YouTuber focused on gaming i'd probably love the hell out of that, but I don't feel i'm as articulate (or funny) in person.
LOL you guys have no imagination. There is more to games than coding all day.
I would LOVE to do sound design / composing for video games. I've been doing it for years (making beats, playing in a band, etc) and it's really fun. I helped develop a very small Android smartphone game in college with some friends in that respect, "Evil Melons" (stupid name for a game, wasn't my idea, i was just contacted to create the music). Even the technical side of understanding the DAW, automation clips, EQ mixing, mastering channels, etc ... I still think doing it as an actual job would be amazing.
I would LOVE to do sound design / composing for video games. I've been doing it for years (making beats, playing in a band, etc) and it's really fun. I helped develop a very small Android smartphone game in college with some friends in that respect, "Evil Melons" (stupid name for a game, wasn't my idea, i was just contacted to create the music). Even the technical side of understanding the DAW, automation clips, EQ mixing, mastering channels, etc ... I still think doing it as an actual job would be amazing.
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I work QA at a games company. It's not all fun and games, especially if you have to but heads against management to get proper testing equipment. And it's especially disheartening if other people or certification find issues after you signed off the build after rigorous testing.
Well... where I come from, art/design for games probably gets you way more money than simply working as a regular artist... so it's not that much of a hard choice as well :/~~I mean, I COULD do webdesign but the payment is not worth a soul
I can't play without doing a mental layout of how each part works, what is and isn't fun about it and which poor design choices have high artistic value... Made FF Type-0 way more enjoyable thinking by these terms lol
(I'm and artist with a Design degree, one of the reasons I can't find a job is because I like drawing and doing game design so much I can't focus on one thing and be good at it)
Does anyone who actually work in the videogame industry get rich? I mean outside of managers and CEO's and stuff like that.
Seems every videogame developer struggles to make ends meat because they have a high cost of living in California or wherever even if they make over $100,000 a year.
Seems every videogame developer struggles to make ends meat because they have a high cost of living in California or wherever even if they make over $100,000 a year.
As a psychologist, I'd love to be part of a team that balances making money via MTX/DLC, customer satisfsction, and creativity.
But I never thought of actually making/coding/testing games as a career, for the many reasons outlined here.
But I never thought of actually making/coding/testing games as a career, for the many reasons outlined here.