They claim it's sooo difficult to get into that you might as well not even try. Is it really so hard to get into?

With that attitude you won't get anywhere.
It's a small industry compared to programming in general, but at least that means you've always got a back-up plan (if you can't find a games job, you can work for another type of business).

I know it's what I want to do as a career in my life, I have a passion for it.Then you'll be fine.
As long as you've got talent (and passion is a great tool for developing talent) then you can find a job.

If you continue to develop your talent (never stop to think that you're good enough of a software engineer, keep learning!!) then there's no reason that the big players wouldn't want to hire you eventually. That said, I'd never work at EA after seeing the work conditions my friends had to put up with there

When my first games job went bust, I did have to fall back on my programming degree and go work for a business that I didn't care about for a while. When I got fed up with that job and resigned, it took me 5 months to find a games programming job again.
Then, when that games company went bankrupt, it only took me one month to find another games company to work for.

It's very possible to do as a career, but keep in mind that chances are you will be laid off at least once (due to companies collapsing, etc) during your career, and you may have to deal with unemployment and/or non-games jobs as well.

'Hodgman' said:

Then, when that games company went bankrupt

Why didn't you do a better job and try to keep them afloat? The industry is filled with failed startups because of employees with attitudes like yours.

What the hell? What do you know about my attitude towards that company? Do you make a habit of criticising aspects of the lives of complete strangers which you know absolutely nothing about?

Everyone in that studio worked their butts off for a year trying to keep the company afloat. Everyone did months of unpaid overtime, myself included, without caring that it wasn't compensated; we just wanted to ship something cool. In the end, the owner funnelled all the money into an off-shore company and liquidated the studio without paying the bills (which included our owed salaries).

As I said above, if you go into games as a carreer, you are going to get laid off at one point or another... Or you might just be on project-based contracts, like the film industry, where you're automatically out of work once your game ships. After having hundreds of colleagues lose their jobs over the years in cut-backs/redundancies/collapses, I'm simply being matter of fact about the reality of this industry.

Now, where's my rate-- button gone for flagging arrogant sophomoric trolls?

Hey guys, I've been hearing some negative talk from some people about the game industry. They claim it's sooo difficult to get into that you might as well not even try. Is it really so hard to get into?

Not that hard, no.

I know it's what I want to do as a career in my life, I have a passion for it.


You and many thousands of others. The competition is what makes getting the gigs hard. Companies can pick and choose.

What are my chances of making it into the industry as a game programmer, would I have to be lucky or just work hard?


Who knows? Certainly none of us based on what we know of you. Luck can factor into it. Being at the right place at the right time, having your demo be just what the company is looking for... Working hard comes into it, but less than you'd think. Hard work can't make up for skill in software development. Tenacity on the other hand is very important. Fighting through the competition, keeping at different job openings until you get your foot in the door. And Hodgman's account is noteworthy. Even at the best companies, you will often have crunch times. Having the tenacity to work through and produce is important.

Social skills are important too. Networking is an important part of getting a job, and especially in high competition areas, it's often who you know that wins... not necessarily what you know.

That said, if you can't produce, it's hard to get hired. And once hired, it's neigh impossible to keep the job. When companies can pick and choose who they hire, they will more often than not go for the best of the best.

So we can't say for sure if it's realistic for you. All the luck and hard work in the world won't help if you're a terrible programmer.

1. Hey guys, I've been hearing some negative talk from some people about the game industry. They claim it's sooo difficult to get into that you might as well not even try. Is it really so hard to get into?
2. I know it's what I want to do as a career in my life, I have a passion for it.
3. What are my chances of making it into the industry as a game programmer, would I have to be lucky or just work hard?
4. And beyond that what are my chances of working for one of the big company's like EA or Blizzard Entertainment?

1. Yes.
2. Then you should go for it!
3. Yes.
4. Not that great.

It's THAT very mentality that causes said votes to be a waste.

No... I'm pretty sure that (for most people) all the faith in the world doesn't make anyone else vote for them. I'd be president then.

Likewise, all the heart and soul in a company doesn't make it any better run; doesn't make the business model any better; doesn't make people buy your game.

The world is full of failed startups because they're risky, and often started by people under qualified who underestimate the costs involved or the profits available. Not because people didn't try hard enough.