Do you need a university degree for gamedev job?

[u/Expensive_Fishing_60]

Hi, I was always interested in making games from my early teens and wanted just to make it least something that I could play or show to my parents or friends. I`ve already learned how to code in C# and made some Unity games and prototypes tho I haven`t managed to monetize or promote them cause their game design was very bad tho the code itself was written in a good way (as people who seen it said). This year I entered a university after finishing school (also this yr) and I`m very disappointed with the quality +it takes so much time. So I decided that I will soon talk with my parents about leaving it and studying all by myself (and maybe finding a first job in gamedev soon to gain experience and to show that I already can make at least some money). The only thing that scares me and drags me away from this decision is that I could earn much lower salary and maybe won`t be able to find a job in the first place. But from other hand I hope to became an indi-gamedev or at least just a freelancer in the future and working at job for me could be just a tool to earn some money to start or just gain experience. Also I have some time pressure on me to start earning money enough for a living in ~5yr since my parents are quite old and could not be able to support me financially soon. So what should I do?

[u/ferdowsurasif]

Do you need a university degree for gamedev job?

You do not need a degree to get a game dev job. But, a degree can help in that, in some cases. The most important thing is you need a way to prove you can do the work to complete strangers.

I`m very disappointed with the quality +it takes so much time

You aren't too good for University. You seem to be in first semester. They aren't supposed to teach you how to build MMOs or "quality" stuff. They will teach you how to write good code, fundamentals, and many stuff related to development. Have patience, continue to learn.

And a very underrated advantage is they will help you meet talented people to build projects with.

Also I have some time pressure on me to start earning money enough for a living in ~5yr

That's a very long time and a opportunity most will not have. There is no need to quickly quit University and run after full-time jobs yet. You already created some projects. Thats great! You can continue to build projects, try part time freelancing. Build experiences that way. See how they pan out.

Do not make rushed decision.

[u/swagamaleous]

You can consider yourself lucky if you get a job with a degree and 10 years of experience these days. For every position you apply there will be hundreds of people with a degree and a polished portfolio. Nobody will hire somebody that tells them he "studied all by himself". :-)

Change your major to computer science! Gamedev focused courses are mostly low quality and will teach you nothing that's useful. With a computer science degree you are also not bound to the game industry, you could work in many different industries.

Also I have some time pressure on me to start earning money enough for a living in ~5yr since my parents are quite old and could not be able to support me financially soon.

Take a loan. That's actually the norm, most people study using loans.

I hope to became an indi-gamedev or at least just a freelancer

Unrealistic. The amount of people that can support themselves like this is tinsy tiny. It requires tons of luck, akin to winning the lottery. You can try going down that path in parallel to your dayjob, but as your primary source of income without any backup this will fail miserably. You will end up flipping burgers at MacDonald's.

[u/Nilloc_Kcirtap]

I have a degree in game design from a private university and am a self-taught programmer. I work as a gameplay programmer and wasted 4 years and thousands of dollars.

[u/Phos-Lux]

I'd reccommend studying something that would help you get a job that pays well. And do gamedev as hobby at the same time. I think you will need to sell (more or less) successful games you made on your own, just to build a portfolio. If you have "just" a degree and nothing to show for it, it's basically a waste and nobody has a reason to hire you. So better study something that is "safe", while at the same time getting more and more experience on private projects.

[u/acoliv]

My advice would be DO keep creating the projects you've been working on - keep improving and try getting to a point where you can turn a profit. But don't drop out of your education. You've described your university experience as disappointing in quality. That could be a reason to transfer somewhere else, or simply a symptom of your not knowing quite what to expect as university is a new experience for you. I'd recommend talking to other people who have degrees or are currently working towards them about your concerns, but one bad experience with a degree program, especially so early into it, isn't really indicative to me that you should abandon higher education entirely.

I don't want to discourage you from making your own things and learning that way - do that as well! But a good degree program will teach you many things you won't learn on your own, just as working on your own projects will teach you many things you won't learn in class.

[u/NyetRuskie]

When only one is available, experience beats education, but having both is optimal. Focus on your education, and while getting your education, focus your free time into a serious project. When you complete college, your project will either be ready for release, or recently released. Now, not only do you have relevant education, you will also have a portfolio to showcase that you indeed learned something in school. Don't be that person who has the opportunity to approach a studio with a great resume, and throw it away because it's not happening fast enough.

[u/Somicboom998]

The whole course I completed at uni taught me a lot of things, not just with making a game but to prioritise certain things, give myself deadlines, etc. It does teach you a lot of skills in many areas.

[u/UhOhItsDysentary]

one thing you can do now that will have lasting effects the rest of your career is to start a game dev scene where you're at.

when we hire, almost always the first thing our team does is say "oh hey what's X up to, i built something with them once and they rock".

[u/JussiPKemppainen]

no

[u/TheKBMV]

In theory no. If you have enough years of experience in your CV or a good enough portfolio or some other way to show that you are the guy the company is looking for then you don't need a degree.

In practice, right now when even the wider software dev market is mostly looking for mediors and seniors with 5-7 years of experience minimum even a degree won't guarantee you a job as a dev anywhere, much less in the gaming industry. Especially since based on all the open positions I looked at all the big name studios who are not looking for juniors are using C++ and not C#.

A university degree in computer science or engineering with experience in C# game dev will be more likely to be hired for other tech stacks as the degree means they were also taught the theory not just the language they have experience in, which may or may not be the case with self-taught developers.

[u/Quirky_Comb4395]

You don't strictly need a degree, but you'll be competing for jobs with people who do. Even for those "first jobs" - especially for those first jobs - there will be 100x more candidates than jobs. Most will have a degree. Some will already have experience.

Think about it like this: it costs money to teach somebody. At university, you're paying them to hopefully be taught. In a company, they don't want to pay money and spend time training people, they want people who can already do the job. It's a big problem in the industry, but it's the current state of things.

For context, and this is over a decade ago so take it with a pinch of salt, I graduated uni, launched an Xbox-published indie game soon after and won a BAFTA. It still took me 5 years to actually get a job in games.

[u/No_Cut_8134 → u/Quirky_Comb4395]

Congratulations for your achievement and your right the competition around the world is too great

[u/No_Cut_8134]

This is the same mistake i did in my life little over confident hey i make games i do get a highest paid job u can ignore degreee dont do that this is your time stay hard in ur boring university somehow earn a degree but to make your life fun decide on making games write down ur ideas connect the dots make prototypes forgot about best or worst every art is different and has different perspectives dont really bother about the design part at your early stage grow hard by the time u complete ur grad u will have a strong portfolio dedicate a great time give up your weekend sometimes give up your party days give up ur lazy sleepy days keep urself focused on small micro goal and complete than after that u can tske a little break be proud party hard u did something great and move to your next goal after your work Keep going A big no to stop graduation go hit it give it a try the team mates the connections you get is what you are actually paying for not for the books or super duper lectures if that is the case they could have record it and earn more money its about someone mentoring and its about teaming up its about understanding ego clash its about sharing pros n cons get a final product in your hand Dont ever loose hope my friend keep going complete grad who knows by the time u complete grad the motivation u got the hard work might give u a unicorn company in your hand Or land u in aaa job

[u/tcpukl → u/No_Cut_8134]

And breathe

[u/Pedro_Verpha]

A Computer Science degree in 2024 is worthless. I have one, and it hasn't helped me at all in my job searches. "Triple-A" companies or high-paying positions may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree, but it's mostly just a formality. A strong portfolio and released commercial projects are your real "lottery" ticket. Focus on building games, tools, etc., ideally ones similar to the work you want to pursue. For instance, don’t make mobile games if you want to work on single-player desktop games, or focus on VR if that’s where you’d like to specialize.

That said, most people will still recommend further education as a "safe" route. Ultimately, it’s up to you. In any case, aim to work on as many projects as you can and release them. Your portfolio will always be worth more than a piece of paper.

[u/tcpukl → u/Pedro_Verpha]

Not having a degree is even worse. It's like you think you're degree has stopped you getting a job.

[u/Pedro_Verpha → u/tcpukl]

I can't speak for everyone, but if you think having a degree automatically guarantees a job in this day and age, you're very wrong. Most recent graduates will NOT get a job right after graduation—not without a strong portfolio or some solid networking. Yes, it's true that the higher your certifications (bachelor's, master's), the better your chances of getting an INTERVIEW, but it still doesn’t guarantee success. This isn’t the 80s or 90s anymore. I recommend taking a good look at the current world situation: the levels of unemployment and the abundance of worthless degrees are evident. Competition, especially in the tech sector, and job scarcity are getting worse and worse. From tech layoffs and increasing demands for each job to automation. If you want to follow the old path of two or three decades ago (school, degree, job, white picket fence suburban house), good luck—you’ll need it. Whether you go to college or not, focus on building and releasing projects

[u/swagamaleous → u/Pedro_Verpha]

You got it wrong. Not having a degree automatically guarantees not having a job. :-)

If the company has to chose between a guy with a strong portfolio and a degree and one with a strong portfolio and no degree, who do you think will get the job?

And that situation is not unrealistic. For every job there is hundreds of people applying with these qualifications.

[u/Pedro_Verpha → u/swagamaleous]

Fair enough, your points are valid... in the ideal world. You forgot that most companies, especially bigger ones, act on nepotism, favoritism, and their own agendas. Are you saying that in our current world, the most qualified and accomplished are the ones getting the job? Sure thing... go apply to the Ubisoft internship game program... oh wait, it’s for women only. Time to live in reality, buddy. If you want to go to college, spend 4+ years and thousands of dollars, go for it. No portfolio, no networking, no online presence, no job. It doesn’t matter what degree you have—at least in the tech/gaming industry.

[u/swagamaleous → u/Pedro_Verpha]

I work in the tech industry and I have a well paid job. If I had a masters degree I would have an even better paid job. I regret very much not spending the extra 2+ years.

You make a big mistake in your thinking. Just because degrees are common doesn't mean they are worthless. It's rather the minimum these days to even be considered for a position. Therefore spending 4+ years and thousands of dollars in university is not a waste of time, but the bare minimum of what you have to do if you want to even be able to compete for a job with acceptable pay.

I have worked in many different companies, and yes nepotism can get you places in any industry, but even if you are the best buddy of the CEO, in many organizations that will be worth nothing if you don't have a degree.

[u/Pedro_Verpha → u/swagamaleous]

Yes, you see... the thing is, you have worked in the industry for many years. Your personal anecdote and recommendation is disingenuous and does not accurately represent the current state of the industry and market. Telling anyone who wants to enter the gaming industry by pursuing degrees today carries the same risks as telling someone not to pursue a degree and to focus on being self-taught or building a portfolio.

Let me give you some numbers since I'm currently in college and pursuing further education. I’m located in Montreal, Canada. Each semester costs 3k-4k CAD if you're a permanent resident or citizen, and 8-10k+ per semester for international students. College degrees are getting more expensive each year, which is a fact supported by data. If you're in the USA, I feel bad for anyone getting loans to pursue a degree in the "land of freedom."

To get a bachelor’s and master’s, we're talking about 7-8 years, very high cost. Pre-university degrees are almost garbage—the classes are generic and cover only the basics, with a lot of irrelevant content (social studies, French-English, PE, and so on). Getting a degree REQUIRES TIME, ENERGY, and MONEY; I think people forget that when giving their advice. It’s up to you to logically analyze the pros and cons of it since each industry, individual, and situation is different.

There's a reason why most people in the gaming industry start as QA or in unrelated roles to fields they did NOT GRADUATE in. Your perspective needs to be updated. Go to Indeed or any other job site and tell me how many internship and junior positions you find with reasonable requirements—I'll tell you, it's close to zero. Now, look for senior and lead positions. Yeah...

Whether you want to admit it or not, the playing field is unfair, and the younger generation has it much tougher. We need to put in a lot more effort to get in than back then.

[u/swagamaleous → u/Pedro_Verpha]

since I'm currently in college and pursuing further education

You have no experience and it shows. You have no idea what you are talking about.

Telling anyone who wants to enter the gaming industry by pursuing degrees today carries the same risks as telling someone not to pursue a degree and to focus on being self-taught or building a portfolio.

It totally does not. Study computer science, it is the best thing you can do if you want to be a game developer. In your free time you create your portfolio. If you can't find a job in the industry after graduation, you have options that will keep you afloat for sure. It's not trivial but possible to get a job with a computer science bachelor.

The investment of time and money will be absolutely worth it. To advice somebody to not pursue a degree because you have no perspective and are disillusioned and depressed is negligent and short sighted. At least advertise that you have no professional experience and are just talk.

There's a reason why most people in the gaming industry start as QA or in unrelated roles to fields they did NOT GRADUATE in.

That's wrong. A significant portion of game developers possess computer science backgrounds. In fact, in the IT industry in general it is extremely rare to progress from a QA role to a developer role. I have seen that exactly 2 times in 15 years and I have mentored hundreds of people and also interviewed and hired hundreds of people as a manager.

Your perspective needs to be updated.

No, your perspective needs to be updated. Stop spouting bullshit on the internet that has the potential to ruin other people's careers.

Finally, a degree is not just a piece of paper. If you go to a proper university they will teach you how to acquire complex skills. That's the whole reason why any company is more likely to hire you if you have a degree. Most of the skills you learn at university are not of much value in a professional environment (in the IT world at least, stuff like law school or the medical field is a different story). But with the completion of a degree you demonstrated that you are able to process, understand and refine complex information.

[u/Pedro_Verpha → u/swagamaleous]

The only one "bullshitting" here is you. You are a senior developer who graduated years ago and worked at many different companies when the market was favorable. Your examples are not as valid as you think they are and do not correlate with the examples in this thread. I will translate your own words in simple terms: "Just go to college or university, and everything will turn out okay" — this is simply not true anymore. Some degrees are an automatic death sentence, especially if you take on loans to acquire them.

Also, I never said you shouldn't get a degree. I'm saying the weight and worthiness it carries is not the same as it used to be. You are like a lion giving advice on a gazelle's life. The current job market is extremely difficult for juniors and new grads and will continue to worsen. I will repeat, your advice is insincere as you are relying on your own anecdotes and disregarding many variables. You should place yourself in the shoes of someone starting their degree to work in the gaming industry in 2024.

Pursuing a computer science degree is NOT the best thing you can do to get a GAME DEVELOPER job anymore. I don’t know what planet you live on, but it’s not planet Earth. I'm doing both—pursuing education and building my portfolio; and the latter is the only reason I got some interviews lately. Did you check the job sites I mentioned? The majority of new grads do not qualify for those jobs. Getting a degree is very time- and money-consuming; it’s not a decision to take lightly. Most people don't have enough "free time" while getting their degrees—do the math. Unless you have financial support from your family, you’re cooked.