I am doing occasional big projects consultancy and some indie stuff. But TBH I earn so much more in the "regular" software world. Game dev for me has become a fun hobby, without pressure to release or make money ;)
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Do Any of You Want to Work in the Games Industry?
- Thread starter Deleted member 4034
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Been in the industry for 10-11 years now and 9 of those at PlayStation as Games Designer. I wouldn't trade this for anything else to be honest and seeing a lot of ppl in here comment on the "stress" or "working conditions" as one of the reasons not to is rather surprising.
I'm now going independent with freelance on the side and enjoy doing what I love... making games for a living.
I'm now going independent with freelance on the side and enjoy doing what I love... making games for a living.
Would love to be in a Giant Bomb/Waypoint etc situation. Playing and discussing games full time. I have a lot of thoughts that no one else is interested i and need an avenue to make people listen to me.
Never going to happen unless I happen to win enough money to support myself and not have to work. If anyone is giving this away on the forum, I'll put my hand up, by the way.
I have a family to support (currently main "breadwinner"), so i think i missed the boat on setting myself up in that industry.
Never going to happen unless I happen to win enough money to support myself and not have to work. If anyone is giving this away on the forum, I'll put my hand up, by the way.
I have a family to support (currently main "breadwinner"), so i think i missed the boat on setting myself up in that industry.
Lol fuck no.
Never.
Not ever.
Have you seen how much shit game Developers get from 'fans'? No thanks!
Never.
Not ever.
Have you seen how much shit game Developers get from 'fans'? No thanks!
Mate of mine streams PUBG, is signed to TSM and makes a fuck load of cash but now doesn't enjoy playing games; to him it's work.
I'd want to be a marketer for Square Enix or Nintendo. I've always dreamed about presenting on stage at E3. I've always wanted to discuss games and their potential with shareholders, industry folks, retailers, etc.
Did for a few years in the community management area. Loved it to bits and loved getting to meet the community. Enjoyed seeing games early before launch and also the change to meet dev teams on major projects.
Unfortunately it was all time consuming and I had to drop it.
Maybe one day I will head back into community management because I really did enjoy that side of things. I did try to get into a similar role with a few other companies but that did not work out. Maybe one day eh!
Unfortunately it was all time consuming and I had to drop it.
Maybe one day I will head back into community management because I really did enjoy that side of things. I did try to get into a similar role with a few other companies but that did not work out. Maybe one day eh!
I dream of working in video game narration. :( I would love to work for hours on end on storyboarding, idea conceptualization and all that stuff. I have always had a drive for creating branching stories and variations of my own imaginings when on boring commutes. I am planning on going to the US for further studies, I am hoping I land a job at a proper video game studio or an indie one to help me get a foot in the door.
Im an architect, and I once thought it would be super cool to be a game architect, design the environments and buildings and stuff, but then I realized you also have to have a game design background, so I gave up lol
Not looking into another graduation anytime soon.
Not looking into another graduation anytime soon.
I used to, when I was younger. Nowadays I'm not so sure. Guess it would depend on the position. I'd rather work with trains and railways, though.
If there's anything the games industry needs its people who know how to run shit. Seriously.
Anyway, currently an audio-only person but also helped to run a studio for a few years, covering business and marketing as well! Those two are nowhere easy as people think, and often had me working weekends until silly o'clock as you sometimes have to organise things with people on the other side of the planet/chase people up/sort shit at the last second.
Bit happier where I am as a specialist for a number of reasons, but audio is one of those oddball fields where we're still treated as a bit of an unknown at times. Getting better (and I think the team I'm with have taken it into consideration a lot more, at least with task planning!) but there's room to improve!
Yep. When hobby becomes work, it ceases to be a hobby. It happened to me with music. During the years its presence in my spare time decreased significantly, and I really don't care to listen to the same stuff I'm involved with as much as I used to.
After reading Blood, Sweat and Pixels? Hell no.
I'm not qualified at all so there wouldn't even be a chance though.
I'm not qualified at all so there wouldn't even be a chance though.
I have a romanticised notion of working on an indie game with some of my technically focused friends as a passion project, but it would never be plain sailing at all. The time and dedication it takes to make a successful game are enormous.
As for working full time in the industry, I feel as though it would simultaneously sap the joy from my hobby as well as under-reward my skills.
A close friend of mine has been a dev for a few years now and he does seem to enjoy it. But he's comparatively underpaid for his skillset, undergoes exceptional periods of stress and crunch for little reward and has a fairly constant feeling of worry about his job security (given the nature of the industry). I feel as though the industry greatly exploits the passion of talented people in order to produce the great titles we all know and love.
As for working full time in the industry, I feel as though it would simultaneously sap the joy from my hobby as well as under-reward my skills.
A close friend of mine has been a dev for a few years now and he does seem to enjoy it. But he's comparatively underpaid for his skillset, undergoes exceptional periods of stress and crunch for little reward and has a fairly constant feeling of worry about his job security (given the nature of the industry). I feel as though the industry greatly exploits the passion of talented people in order to produce the great titles we all know and love.
Honestly I've been trying to get into the industry but i'm finding it a bit tough at the moment as I love doing QA as a hobby but with little to no professional experience it's tough.
I would love to work in game's criticism. It was my dream for a lot of years. It's an idea I still flirt with, but I don't know where to even begin with breaking into it.
I'm also pretty interested in working on the developer side of things as a writer, but work isn't so plentiful on that end. I applied to Chapel Hill years ago specifically because they had internship opportunities with Insomniac. Getting hired with them or Double Fine would probably be the best day of my life. So my answer is yes.
I'm also pretty interested in working on the developer side of things as a writer, but work isn't so plentiful on that end. I applied to Chapel Hill years ago specifically because they had internship opportunities with Insomniac. Getting hired with them or Double Fine would probably be the best day of my life. So my answer is yes.
I currently work as an IT Test Analyst in Higher Education and I would be interested to work in a different environment for an amount of time. I know that QA is a large enough field in the gaming industry.
I came into IT testing in financial services and definitely prefer doing it in HE, but it is good to keep your options open and to build up experience in different areas.
To my understanding the larger studios and publishers use QA contracting firms in Eastern Europe rather than directly employing people in the UK, and I'm currently benefiting from a better-than-average pension plan which I wouldn't expect to match elsewhere currently.
For those who do work in QA, what is the rough split between staff working as Test Leads or Test Planners and those carrying out execution? Is there much use of test automation tools? How much visibility do you get of what has been developed or do you effectively have an impassable boundary between yourself and development?
I came into IT testing in financial services and definitely prefer doing it in HE, but it is good to keep your options open and to build up experience in different areas.
To my understanding the larger studios and publishers use QA contracting firms in Eastern Europe rather than directly employing people in the UK, and I'm currently benefiting from a better-than-average pension plan which I wouldn't expect to match elsewhere currently.
For those who do work in QA, what is the rough split between staff working as Test Leads or Test Planners and those carrying out execution? Is there much use of test automation tools? How much visibility do you get of what has been developed or do you effectively have an impassable boundary between yourself and development?
I've worked in the industry for 4 years now, and it can be really hard. I'd never trade it away for anything.
I'm an indie dev, self publish my own games while also doing contract work porting other games to consoles.
One of the best and worst parts of the job is the consumers. It's the most inexplicably rewarding feeling in the world to see people playing and enjoying your games, but if you think gamers are toxic and vitriolic as another player, wait til they're blowing up your private email and social media that you're not sure how they got to tell you how much you and your family deserve to die because they can't even finish the tutorial level in your game and refuse to admit it's because they're really bad at video games.
I'm an indie dev, self publish my own games while also doing contract work porting other games to consoles.
One of the best and worst parts of the job is the consumers. It's the most inexplicably rewarding feeling in the world to see people playing and enjoying your games, but if you think gamers are toxic and vitriolic as another player, wait til they're blowing up your private email and social media that you're not sure how they got to tell you how much you and your family deserve to die because they can't even finish the tutorial level in your game and refuse to admit it's because they're really bad at video games.
Coming up on my 5th year as a code monkey. Wouldn't change it for the world! The fact that I can walk to work every day without hating what I do for a living means everything to me. There hasn't been a single day that I have thought "I don't want to do this anymore", and I hope that continues. That said, 5 years is the standard "burnout" time, so check back with me in a year and see if my opinion has changed!
Every year I send my CV to Nintendo) But every time they have nothing for me. I'm ordinary IT guy and I know that there is hardly any job for me, but who knows, may be some day there will be something.
Would I want to take a pay cut, have stupid long hours, and probably be fired after every project?
No thanks. I'll pass.
No thanks. I'll pass.
I work in Human Resources, and I wouldn't mind doing the same for a game company. Turnover seems high, crunch requires adding lots of employees and then layoffs afterward. It's not great, but it's not all that different from hiring and downsizing for manufacturing busy seasons.
That said, there aren't too many games companies in Minnesota and I dont want to leave.
That said, there aren't too many games companies in Minnesota and I dont want to leave.
I think it would be nice to write about games, but I feel like these days people only consume this kind of content in video format. I tried my hand at this, in a friend's channel, and even though the reception was largely positive, I can't say I'm a fan of the format.
As long as you write in an interesting and engaging style, the need is still there but much has shifted to online video formats.
Many years ago I had a freelance job doing reviews, interviews etc. I liked doing it because I had a particular style but it was also really hard to remain neutral when it came to work and also not to be swayed by swag haha.
Sup HR buddy. I'm in HR too.. of sorts (Occupational Health and Safety Specialist). Ignoring the fact the games industry probably doesn't have much use for a person like me - I can't see myself wanting to work in the field. Really - any creative-driven field is an HR nightmare. Executives and managers don't think the rules apply to them, high stress work, low compliance.
Has always been my dream. But due to its basically non-existen where I live, so you cant make a living out of it. I would have had to go abroad to study. Also heard you cant also make much of a living on it on other countries either, and its also so much non stop work I wouldnt probably be too good for it.
Been doing it for 6 years now and I still really love my job and playing games when I get home. Working in games has honestly made me appreciate them even more because now I know how hard it is to do certain things. I occasionally still get stumped and ask, "how the heck did they do that?!" Those are the best moments.
I would love to, but I'm not really good at (nor am I really enthusiastic) about coding and I'm not sure what path one might take in order to get into the creative part of video games, as in being a Designer, Writer, Creative Director, etc.
I think eventually I might end up creating my own video game/ finding some friends and then collaborating and doing some indie work, and eventually I'll find the time to get into Coding, but I just don't know how to break into the bigger industry. Do I need a computer science degree? Do I NEED to be a coder? It's just super confusing.
I think eventually I might end up creating my own video game/ finding some friends and then collaborating and doing some indie work, and eventually I'll find the time to get into Coding, but I just don't know how to break into the bigger industry. Do I need a computer science degree? Do I NEED to be a coder? It's just super confusing.
Not really, I think I make more money and have more stability working in the industry I'm in (Smart Grid).
But even back when I was in high school and college working retail I didn't want to get anywhere near gaming. I worked in the music/dvd section at a Best Buy and it was bad enough getting the overflow customers from the game section. I'm just not patient enough.
But even back when I was in high school and college working retail I didn't want to get anywhere near gaming. I worked in the music/dvd section at a Best Buy and it was bad enough getting the overflow customers from the game section. I'm just not patient enough.
This thread has been fascinating.
If you want to make games in the 'bigger industry' you need to make some games.
If you want to make games in the 'bigger industry' you need to make some games.
I've been designing/making games in various forms since I was ten both on my own, for classes, for jams and both on others' teams and my own. I think it's safe to say I enjoy the actual process of making games as much as playing them. But becoming an underpaid overworked grunt at a major publisher's whims doesn't appeal to me. Maybe working at a smaller startup or indie studio would be fun! If I enjoy what I'm doing I can put up with hours and pay issues to an extent.
I'll just make what I want to make and try to get other like minded people to help me out with the things I can't do on my own. if that leads to a games job doing the same thing I certainly wouldn't complain.
I'll just make what I want to make and try to get other like minded people to help me out with the things I can't do on my own. if that leads to a games job doing the same thing I certainly wouldn't complain.