> If you want to become a game engine dev your first step should be joining a studio as a gameplay programmer. No one wants to use an engine written by someone

> If you want to become a game engine dev your first step should be joining a studio as a gameplay programmer. No one wants to use an engine written by someone who does not know how to make games. Plenty of engine companies and studios will hire juniors and mid-level engineers into engine teams. And it’s been that way for a long time. And whilst the engine will preferably be made whilst developing actual games using it you don’t need everyone on the team to have been a gameplay programmer. There’s almost too much specialisation required these days and a lot of engine engineers aren’t interested in or good enough at game design to do gameplay roles. What it does need is active feedback from game teams building serious projects. I’d agree though if you want stability and much less chance of crunch pick a company with a stable income. Engine companies are good for this but there are plenty of others.