At some point in almost every gamer's life,
there is at least a glimmer hope that one day they could aspire to being a great game developer, artist, programmer, or
in some way involved in the games industry. The pay always looks great, and how hard can it be to make video games
anyways? After all, it is software designed to be fun.
There have been many horror stories come out of the games industry about the work put into it, and IGN's recent
article, "The Dark Side of Development," only adds to the
woeful tale: 80-140 hours of work per week, loss of social life (not to mention marriages and relationships). They even
bring up the point that, despite a hefty and lucrative
starting salary (around $60k for programmers), most programming jobs are in areas where the cost of living is quite
large.
If it is your dream, then by all means do not let us dissuade you - but for those of you considering a career in
gaming because you saw a commercial for "game design degrees" in between episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force late at
night, let this be a precaution, or consider alternative
employment.
Engadget
TUAW