There's a crucial difference between writing open source software for free and getting a badly paid job, though. With open source software, nobody is making you

There's a crucial difference between writing open source software for free and getting a badly paid job, though. With open source software, nobody is making you do it. Okay, you might have users who you feel compelled to please, but let's face it, you don't have any contractual obligations. Contrast this with something like a game tester. These are some of the hardest working people I've ever met, and they often earn so little they have to live with their parents. (with all the unpaid overtime, I'm sure they get less than minimum wage) They don't really get a choice about whether to work the 80 hour week they're asked to: if they choose to work less, they'll probably be passed over for the promotion to lead QA or level designer. (for the latter they have to build their skills in that field in their spare time) My understanding is that it's similar in film, etc. This happens even above the entry level: I once met an animator who accepted a 90% (!) pay cut to give up his job at a Hollywood animation studio and work for Rockstar London, just because Rockstar have this aura of prestige. Initially, this strategy might make sense to get your foot in the door. But I'd be extremely surprised if it was optimal once you'd proven yourself to the company. I'd have been pushing for much higher pay if I was still in a regular job (though maybe the drastic difference in skill between programmers makes this easier than in artsier jobs where productivity is even harder to gauge). Yet the culture bred in the game industry is such that you're supposed to feel privileged to be working there in the first place. As far as I can tell, this is an illusion; it's not actually that hard to get a job, at least not once you have a minimum of experience. (this culture is one of the reasons I left; the fact that they attempted to bribe me to stay reinforces my belief - I've been getting more than what they offered as a contractor)