Game development - is it good path to become rich?

[Ramzes]

Is pursuing a career in game development a good path to becoming rich? Surely, people need good games, but the competition is so massive that the chance of breaking through is quite slim. Many game developers haven't achieved any success.

I want to choose a path that leads to making a lot of money, but I'm finding it very difficult to come up with a good idea. To create a game, I'll need to learn many skills like programming, etc. The whole process of creating a good game will probably take me around 2-4 years, and I'm unsure about its chances of success.

So, what do you ultimately think about this? Is it worth pursuing game development? Is such an idea practically doomed to failure from the start?

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Is pursuing a career in game development a good path to becoming rich? Surely, people need good games, but the competition is so massive that the chance of breaking through is quite slim. Many game developers haven't achieved any success.

I want to choose a path that leads to making a lot of money, but I'm finding it very difficult to come up with a good idea. To create a game, I'll need to learn many skills like programming, etc. The whole process of creating a good game will probably take me around 2-4 years, and I'm unsure about its chances of success.

So, what do you ultimately think about this? Is it worth pursuing game development? Is such an idea practically doomed to failure from the start?

Sounds like you're looking for "sure-thing" bets.

There's no such thing.

Everything you describe above is normal and expected for entrepreneurs. In short, your mental-framework and expectations are not aligned to be an entrepreneur.

Sounds like a guaranteed paycheck and seemingly stable (a misnomer) job would be more suitable for you.

 

[Ramzes]

Sounds like you're looking for "sure-thing" bets.

There's no such thing.

Everything you describe above is normal and expected for entrepreneurs. In short, your mental-framework and expectations are not aligned to be an entrepreneur.

Sounds like a guaranteed paycheck and seemingly stable (a misnomer) job would be more suitable for you.

I can't even bear the thought of working for some company for the rest of my life. I dream of freedom where I get to decide what I do every day.

So, it's probably best if I believe in my goal, fully commit to the process, and learn from my mistakes, right?

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I can't even bear the thought of working for some company for the rest of my life.

But it also sounds like you can't bear the idea of working for X years and not being guaranteed success, riches, or whatever. Nothing in life works like that.

Question is, which conviction is going to win?

The desire not to work for someone else? Or the desire to have predictable outcomes?

The job gives you the latter.

 

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[Ramzes]

But it also sounds like you can't bear the idea of working for X years and not being guaranteed success, riches, or whatever. Nothing in life works like that.

Question is, which conviction is going to win?

The desire not to work for someone else? Or the desire to have predictable outcomes?

The job gives you the latter.

I definitely prefer to try and experience failures throughout my life than to grow old with the regret of not even giving myself a chance.

So, does my idea of creating a game not seem bad? Does it make sense to give it a try? I ask because you have achieved tremendous success, and I would like to know what someone with experience thinks about something like this.

 

[Andy Black]

Is pursuing a career in game development a good path to becoming rich? Surely, people need good games, but the competition is so massive that the chance of breaking through is quite slim. Many game developers haven't achieved any success.

I want to choose a path that leads to making a lot of money, but I'm finding it very difficult to come up with a good idea. To create a game, I'll need to learn many skills like programming, etc. The whole process of creating a good game will probably take me around 2-4 years, and I'm unsure about its chances of success.

So, what do you ultimately think about this? Is it worth pursuing game development? Is such an idea practically doomed to failure from the start?

What can you do to make a sale, this week?

Consider product-founder fit.

If it's going to take you 2-4 years to even put something in front of the market then maybe do something else?

 

[The-J]

So, does my idea of creating a game not seem bad? Does it make sense to give it a try?

Probably not with the attitude of "giving it a try"

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I definitely prefer to try and experience failures throughout my life than to grow old with the regret of not even giving myself a chance.

Then decide to live life with no regrets and go after your dreams. The outcomes won't mean as much, but you might surprise yourself and go in wildly different directions.

You can make millions in game development.
You can also spend years and make $5/hour.

The point is less about the outcome, and more about your process.

Probably not with the attitude of "giving it a try"

Thank you -- that's the problem I'm trying to articulate here. This says, "it is not about my process, it is about the event, or the outcome." I don't "try" to be healthy -- I live it every damn day. On days "I try", I fail.

 

[Haya_Verbena]

Question is, which conviction is going to win?

The desire not to work for someone else? Or the desire to have predictable outcomes?

Reading this feels like being hit in the face with a brick(made of gold). I myself feel a sort of sense of paralysis when thinking of what to try to venture into which ultimately leads to a whole lot of action faking(reading books, looking for resources and courses, over thinking etc etc) instead of taking action. Thanks again MJ for the great insight as always.

@Ramzes seems like you and me have the same problem of mental framing, we are still focused on the outcome/event rather than the process. So we probably need to be doing more than thinking. And if that leads to failure then so be it because that's part of the process. As MJ says, failure is the sweat of success.

 

[Trismigistus]

Is pursuing a career in game development a good path to becoming rich? Surely, people need good games, but the competition is so massive that the chance of breaking through is quite slim. Many game developers haven't achieved any success.

I want to choose a path that leads to making a lot of money, but I'm finding it very difficult to come up with a good idea. To create a game, I'll need to learn many skills like programming, etc. The whole process of creating a good game will probably take me around 2-4 years, and I'm unsure about its chances of success.

So, what do you ultimately think about this? Is it worth pursuing game development? Is such an idea practically doomed to failure from the start?

This is one of the main reasons MJs books exists. Come up with an idea of how you could provide value and get money in exchange for providing value. Then use MJs CENTS framework and the other mental devices he shares to help craft your decision. Does your idea meet the CENTS framework, is it one of the three I's, have you done a decision matrix to decide which is the best route for you to go. Being able to go through this analysis and learning to answer your own questions will help you tremendously.

 

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[srodrigo]

What can you do to make a sale, this week?

Consider product-founder fit.

If it's going to take you 2-4 years to even put something in front of the market then maybe do something else?

I'd be interested in seeing how this works. The closest is a wishlist on Steam, and it only means that 40-50% (if I recall correctly) are going to open their wallet when the game goes out.
But it won't go out in less than a few months months, and that's for very basic stuff. The less basic stuff takes 1-2 years at least.

@Ramzes seems like you and me have the same problem of mental framing, we are still focused on the outcome/event rather than the process. So we probably need to be doing more than thinking. And if that leads to failure then so be it because that's part of the process. As MJ says, failure is the sweat of success.

Another one here. I've lost count of the cycles from video games to other kinds of ventures I've gone through, then back to square one. Fear of failure and wasting years is the problem. But not taking the risk means you lose automatically. Counter-intuitive, but still crippling.

@Ramzes I don't know what to say. These days, I don't recommend video games as a way to make good money. But I keep seeing random people making great money. I'm talking about games that I never heard of but have thousands of reviews on Steam. There are more people than we think making it big. On the other side, it looks like the race to the bottom is real, with players wanting ultra-polished masterpieces at $20 to buy them at 80% discount.

 

[EmotionEngine]

I work in the game industry for my day job. It's a meat grinder even if you have millions in the coffers. I am a witness to the fast depletion of funds and resources. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Provide something people want to play, skew value, etc.

A lot of what Fastlane and Unscripted preaches is applicable, probably because MJ started a software service company.

 

[oneac]

Is pursuing a career in game development a good path to becoming rich? Surely, people need good games, but the competition is so massive that the chance of breaking through is quite slim. Many game developers haven't achieved any success.

I want to choose a path that leads to making a lot of money, but I'm finding it very difficult to come up with a good idea. To create a game, I'll need to learn many skills like programming, etc. The whole process of creating a good game will probably take me around 2-4 years, and I'm unsure about its chances of success.

So, what do you ultimately think about this? Is it worth pursuing game development? Is such an idea practically doomed to failure from the start?

Do you have a game idea that would add value to someone's life?

What about game development is going to take you 2-4 years?

If you're serious, who's to say you can't build the skills you need in 5 months and spend the rest of the year learning by building you project?

 

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[oneac]

Another one here. I've lost count of the cycles from video games to other kinds of ventures I've gone through, then back to square one. Fear of failure and wasting years is the problem. But not taking the risk means you lose automatically. Counter-intuitive, but still crippling

I love this. Thank you.