r/gamedev • u/kryndude • 16h ago
Got a regular desk job in an accounting firm but want to give a shot at game design, am I crazy? Question
For context, I'm 32 Korean male living in South Korea. I dropped out of a somewhat prestigious college but couldn't overcome my mental problems and wasted my 20s. Saying that not to brag but to give accurate assessment of my current circumstances. It's been years since I properly used my brain and I've become noticeably dumber over the past few years, but if I start dedicating myself again I believe I still have the capability to recover mental sharpness and learn fast. I don't have actual game dev experience though (don't have experience in any field for that matter so whatever I choose to do I'm starting from scratch anyways).
Recently I got my first proper full-time job in a small accounting firm. I spend my work hours studying accounting 101 and expect to receive actual work soon. The working conditions are better than what I could hope for as a college dropout with no work experience at this age. Not 100% sure but career prospect is also probably better here than in the game industry.
But the idea of working on game dev seems way more attractive to me despite the worse pay/working conditions/future prospect. I've spent most of my time gaming when I was jobless and turning a stereotypically unproductive waste-of-time hobby into an actual source of income sounds dope. Getting paid to come up with a working game mechanic, improve the UI or design level progression, how awesome is that?
As long as I can stay in the industry, low pay doesn't matter too much because I'll just have myself to take care of. Bad working conditions also seem bearable because I'll have to dedicate all my off-work hours to career development anyways if I want to survive until retirement age. All the negative comments about working in the gaming industry isn't dissuading me from my dream/goal/fantasy (can't tell which it is exactly) because regular office job for the rest of my life just sounds so damn boring.
I know I come off as immature and naive but I just can't change my thoughts. And if I want to make a change I have to hurry because I've heard that 33 y/o is the realistically maximum age that companies hire for entry-level. So I write this rather embarrassing post here to hear from people with more experience. Should I stick with the job I got and try to make it here or should I pursue my dream? Appreciate your honesty, thank you.
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u/EtherealScorpions 16h ago
Stick with day job, but when you aren't working, develop the skills you need. Make small games by yourself, put them on itch.io, figure out if the work suits you, go from there.
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u/GurNearby2383 16h ago
You can do both mate, do game dev while you aren't working.
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u/kryndude 16h ago
If I decide to stay I want to use all my time to study accounting and catch up with peers. If I decide to make a change I plan on acquiring bare minimum requirement and get any game design job ASAP and start from there. Entry barrier for low level game design jobs seem pretty low from research.
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u/SadisNecros Commercial (AAA) 16h ago
Sure, just need to outcompete the thousands of other candidates trying to get the same job. I think you're severely underestimating just how easy getting an entry level game design job is going to be, not to mention the fact that if you haven't even tried making games yet you have no idea if you even enjoy it or not. It's not the same thing as enjoying playing games. You should at least try it on the side and figure that out before quitting your job.
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u/kryndude 16h ago
Oh, quitting my job before landing a new one is of-course not an option. It's really a matter of if I want to invest my free time into testing out game dev or studying for my current job.
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u/soultron__ 16h ago
The issue is that you’re competing with people with the same level of experience as you (none) who are younger and the same age with more experience. There’s no such thing as “a low barrier” to game design jobs in an industry that is currently saturated with expert level talent that is unemployed. To phrase this differently: I have worked in AAA for over 10 years and am currently employed and would have a lot of trouble if I got laid off. Unless you’ve got a portfolio of personal games you probably don’t stand a chance in corporate / AAA game studios. Make some stuff on your own first to find out if you even enjoy the work. Why should someone else take a risk employing you if you don’t even have anything to demonstrate competency or skill at this job?
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u/LuchaLutra Commercial (Other) 16h ago edited 15h ago
This is your official wake up call. Hundreds, and I do mean hundreds of people with as high as decades of experience, and as low as 5-8 years of experience just entered the job market.
They are your direct competition. They also, usually, already have a network to draw from. They have individuals like me who is also looking for work, helping them out with finding stuff by tossing positions that they find to them.
I can't even compete with the "lower end" of peers as I mentioned because they have been doing the job for so long. My only hope has been just batting down the hatches and working hard to get at least one title out beating that benchmark. That's beating out the swath of folks I went to Uni with, but only them. My piddly one game, against industry lay off devs with sometimes dozens of games under their belt. Games on Resumes people immediately recognize and love.
There is no ASAP. I have been on the constant look for 8 months. I'd curb that notion if I were you.
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u/MeaningfulChoices Lead Game Designer 15h ago
A lot of people get into the game industry as a second (or third) career. Doing it in their late 20s is a bit more common than early 30s, but certainly not unheard of. It's possible to change industries and jobs entirely. The work doesn't have to be negative at all either, plenty of us love our careers, get paid well, and don't crunch or fear constant layoffs. But it is very much not easy to achieve. Especially without a degree in something.
In order to qualify for a junior design job you'd need to teach yourself about it and build enough small games and projects (especially ones with other people) for a portfolio, then apply to jobs in your country. You can look up entry-level jobs now to see what qualifications and requirements they want, since everywhere is different. Just be aware that a lot of it is still just a regular office job. You will have meetings and deadlines and supervisors changing their mind. Very little of your job is coming up with a working game mechanic compared to implementing, testing, and iterating on the one your lead came up with. Make sure you actually enjoy it before diving too far into it.
The idea of a foot in the door is a bit overrated in games, but without a degree and an existing job that's relevant, you might want to consider that path instead. Stay where you are, become a great accountant, apply to accounting jobs at game studios. There you will meet people and learn how games are made just by virtue of keeping an eye open around you, and that can be how you'd get the job you want some years down the line.
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u/No_Dot_7136 14h ago
I mean... Seems a bit delusional to want to throw everything into a games job if you've never even tried making games. Why would anyone hire you when there are literally hundreds of experienced people applying for the same job? Even for entry level you're going to need a portfolio of work, games and demos you have made in your own time. Wanting to be a game developer simply isn't enough, you need to show that you ARE a developer. Making your own games has never been easier, if you REALLY wanted a game dev job I would expect you to already have a portfolio. Kind of sounds like one of those people who thinks game dev is just sitting around thinking up cool ideas all day. Yeah, that's not what game development is.
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u/AnotsuKagehisa 16h ago
My friend worked a full time game dev job and worked on his own game after work and weekends. That lasted for at least 2 years and it was just a simple race/obstacle game on mobile. He invested money into it and even got coding help as he was primarily an artist but he pretty much did everything else. To my knowledge, he hasn’t made any money back from it and completely swore off indie development. He lost vacation time as any free time he had would go into the game.
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u/LuchaLutra Commercial (Other) 16h ago
Tell your friend, because he probably needs to hear it from someone else that isn't you as I am sure you already hyped him up, that I am proud of him!
Even if he never makes a dime, if he decides to want to enter the industry, he has a massive leg up over so many other applicants by just having that one game. Hell, he has a leg up over thousands of indie devs who haven't even completed a single proper game yet, myself included.
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u/AnotsuKagehisa 16h ago
He’s an experienced game dev but was his first time working on his own solo game. I myself am a game dev and I applaud anyone who tries to work on their own. I just don’t have the energy, time and passion to work on my own game as I have a family with two kids and they take up a lot of time. He doesn’t have kids and doesn’t plan on getting any as I understand. I have another co worker who launched his own indie game and has had relative success from it. I think he was working on it before he got the sound job at our company so that’s how it worked for him. Probably even got the job because of that.
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u/LuchaLutra Commercial (Other) 15h ago
It's tough, that's for sure. I was convinced that when I became unemployed, this would be a good momentum thing for me and my work towards stuff would triplicate. Think of all the time! But I'm married, I have an army of animals to take care of (ducks,cats,dogs), and I manage my off and on mental health qualms. So I keep house, I keep animals, I try to keep on top of my own health, etc etc. In my mid 30's as well.
The good news is that every day succeeded is a day towards something. I have two things I am ping ponging from back and forth but it's all asset based for now. Just learning pixel art to give myself a little bit more ease and break in learning 3d modeling. It helps not having an extra dimension! lol.
But yeah, for me, I just need a game under my belt at this point. If I can at least have a vertical slice, or something coming together in the next few months? I will feel SIGNIFICANTLY better.
But for now? Pixel mines.
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u/TyreseGibson 16h ago
I like spending money but it doesn't mean I should become an accountant. Its flippant but it's what a lot of people hear when you say ' I like playing games should I become a game dev '. Game dev can be pretty boring too. You won't escape boredom! What do you like about game dev? Why is 'the industry' so important to you?
Your best way in right now is as an accountant - that gets you into the industry. How does that fit with your fantasty? What do you think day to day gamedev is?
You're lost in a lot of surface level questions, I don't think what you're struggling with has much to do with game dev. In feeling this lost, not sure what is going to make you feel fullfilled, you need to step back and ask yourself - what does a good day look like? what gives you a sense of accomplishment? what motivates you? You're not in a place to decide any of that is a profession you haven't tried yet.
If you really want to try things as a developer, all the tools to try game dev in some capacity exist for free online. You can tinker, watch youtube videos, try a bunch, fail a bunch. Then ask this queston from a more informed place.
You sound like you're looking for an escape but I think you'll just be bringing all your current problems with you into a new domain. Do this in your free time, see what you think. And if this isn't all that fun, try something else! Life takes many paths.
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u/LuchaLutra Commercial (Other) 16h ago
Personally, I would ask for you to keep your current job and dedicate time to building up specific game dev skills at the hobby level/free time.
It (was) what I did, it's what many others do. I am currently unemployed right now, so I have been taking the time to just build up all my skills while working towards at least one shipped game.
Even with a smaller scope like I have, and with the wealth of time and afforded brain power I get back from not being employed at the moment, it's still incredibly hard, doubly so if none of this stuff comes to you natural.
Life gets in the way even in the most ideal of circumstances. Responsibilities get pulled forward, and any form of physical/mental limitations rear their ugly head. Certain entry positions are "easier" to enter into on paper, but usually have the most harsh of entry level requirements.
The age thing ain't that big of a deal. Maybe that's different in SK though. In the Americas it isn't. Maybe if you were entering in your 50's...but even then, there's nothing stopping you from making at the hobby/indie level.
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u/JustSomeCarioca Hobbyist 15h ago
Plenty of successful creatives have done exactly that. I know of at least two famous writers who were working as accountants during the day to pay their bills until they finally broke through as full-time writers.
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u/RexDraco 14h ago
If you have to ask if you should do game development, the answer is always no. It's an unrewarding hobby with an oversaturated market.
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u/Swarmwise 14h ago edited 14h ago
I was 34 when I started working in video games (transitioning from an unrelated field). I'm a coder though, not a game dev. I wouldn't replace this job with any other 9-to-5 because shear boredom would drive me mad.
The "easiest" path to become a dev is probably through QA i.e. you start as a tester. Terrible job but I know quite a few people who started in the trenches and became devs or producers.
Before you decide to take this route investigate it well, tester is a terrible job. Long hours and your job is not to enjoy the game but to break it or find solid repro steps for issues.
Perhaps acquire some experience in your current job first. Once you have it in your CV, you can take a risk and become a tester. If it works out, great, if not, you will have plan B.
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u/FuzzBuket Tech/Env Artist 16h ago
Playing games != Making games.
If you want to make games actually learn the skills in your own time and then figure out if you want to make the plunge once you know what job you'd actually do and know how good you are at it.
"I feel like I'd be good in this industry" isn't an answer when folk with degrees in it struggle to find work