4 ms·

Ask HN: Career pivot to games, production coordinator in big studio – good move?

• bartread 8y ago
  I'd say give it a try because I think it's the only way you're going to know if you enjoy it or not. I mean what's the worst that's likely to happen? You hate it and go back to freelancing? I'd considered something similar myself but, as you seem to have discovered, most studios want experience in the industry for roles above entry level.
• discordance 8y ago
  There are a lot of stories about worker exploration in the game industry. I guess as long as you don't end up in one of the bad ones or find one with a labour union [1]. GL! 1: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/23/17156472/game-developers-unionization-exploitative-toxic-workplace-culture-gdc-2018 https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/23/17156472/game-developers-...
• munificent 8y ago
  I worked at EA for eight years. > I feel the level is a bit low for my age My experience is that game companies don't value experience out of the game industry very much, so you should probably expect to take a bit of a ranking hit on your first job. From their perspective, you're a blank slate. In theory, you'll climb back up quickly once you've shipped a game or two. > salary as well Game industry salaries have always been a notch or two lower than salaries for comparable jobs in other fields. Working on games is a perk, and there is a lot of competition, which drives wages down. > Knowing that i feel i already have a good "product sense", but i may be lacking in terms of execution. For what it's worth, everyone thinks they have a knack for game design. In practice, very few do. It's very easy to make a game that sucks and incredibly hard to come up with a novel yet fun play experience. The game industry tends to be long hours and a lot of stress. The emotional and professional maturity of your coworkers may be less than you're used to. It could end up being a death march. But it can also be very rewarding. If it's something you want to try, the sooner you find out and either get on that career path or get it out of your system, the better. Even if it works out well, don't plan to stay in the game industry forever. Few do. So try to make sure your resume and network is in a state where you can gracefully leave the game industry if that's what you want to do later.
  • jason_slack 8y ago
    I work at a game company now. When I started 6 years ago it was on a contract basis and the salary was lower than I had hoped. Your advice seems spot on to me.
• bsenftner 8y ago
  You are on the cusp of major salary increases for your age and experience outside of the game industry. Time spent inside the game industry is generally viewed outside of the game industry negatively . Only gamers give the game industry respect, in a professional sense, as technical creatives tend to view the high levels of unpaid production overtime as mismanagement and abuse with the game industry's eternal crunch time schedules. Those less on the inside think making games is "playing games all day". If you ever leave the industry, your time in the industry will be treated as a professional negative by any company outside of the entertainment industry. Speaking as a 15 year veteran of the games industry, I strongly do not recommend taking the job.
  • jayd16 8y ago
    >Time spent inside the game industry is generally viewed outside of the game industry negatively. Are you referring to all roles (as in art and tech roles as well) or just production roles? I can't say I've felt the same sentiment but I was an engineer that played games who then joined the industry.
    • bsenftner 8y ago
      Engineering and production. In general, the public barely knows with "production" is, and to them engineering and production are the same thing.
  • LifeLiverTransp 8y ago
    Depends - when it comes to tech, its like hiring a formula one mechanic at a local car shop. Those guys know to optimize though. No excuses to not know your stack their. And we all had that idealistic phase, where we worked for the idea, not the dough. The are those of course who are bitter, for not having the courage (or stupidity) to follow theire dreams for once in their lifes.
    • bsenftner 8y ago
      Tech shops say their work is too boring and you'll leave them; if they don't say that, they think you played games all day and suspect you do not have a serious work ethic. When I left the games biz, I had to hide my time there, describing the years as embedded software development. (I was an OS Dev for the 3DO, then OS dev again for the first PlayStation, then lead for a decade after at places like EA & Sony. I finally left for VFX, but that took two career turns to get there.) In general, games are only now getting professional respect.
• everyone 8y ago
  Big AAA games companies are like any other big entertainment product companies as far as I can tell, or any other industry that mass produces stuff on a production line for that matter. If you can manage the drones, whether they are crapping out a risk free uninspired committee designed, game, or film, or screen door, it hardly matters I think.
• raptorraver 8y ago
  I’m starting tomorrow new post as a game producer. I was in a web development before and was making quite decent salary without any stress. Now my salary is 1k less in a month and I know that I will face more stress and pressure. Still I didn’t hesitate to make a switch. Making great games has been my dream for a long and I knew that if I’d skip this opportunity I’d regret it later. Life is too short to not follow your dreams because it pays less and involves more career risks. I believe that your position is a good path on becoming Game Director. Good luck to you!
• JSeymourATL 8y ago
  > see myself being a Product Manager for a tech company, or a Game Director in a studio. In the absence of clarity, take action. This role will give you the insiders perspective you currently miss as a freelancer.