Hey there, fellow Game Dev Makers. 👋 So, I’m starting to get myself in the world of game development, and I’ve got to be honest—this seems like more of a casual pursuit than a serious ambition to become the next big game dev sensation. I mean, I’m approaching game dev as a hobby, and here’s the reasoning behind it.

Firstly the industry will be changing, with many game layoffs happening the indie market will be flooded with experience and veteran devs competition will be fierce. With many layoffs happening many of these vererans will be doing indie game dev making their own games or looking to get rehired at another studio.

Have a savings plan or day job and work on your game on the Nights and Weekends side would be less stressful than trying to bet on your next title to succeed.

Adapting to change will be the new normal, with Gen Ai incoming and market saturation it will be harder to get attention on your game so that is why I am thinking of this year to make Game Dev a hobby instead.

The Industry Landscape: A Reality Check 🌐

Let’s talk numbers and the real deal. In 2023-2024, the game industry has seen about 10,000 game workers, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Big players like Animation Studio One Animation are closing shop, Riot Games and Lucasfilm are handing out pink slips,

David Whele an indie developer was recently writing about the state of the Industry and he might quit it all together after his next game.

Recently, I stumbled upon a video by Bite Me Games that shed light on the harsh reality of the gaming job market. The key takeaways? Enormous layoffs, fierce competition, tough times for fresh grads, reluctant publishers, and an oversaturated Steam marketplace.

Bite Me Games’ Reality Check 🎮:

1. Layoffs Galore: AAA and indie studios alike are trimming down, creating a fierce job market.
2. Graduates Beware: Newbies face an uphill battle as seasoned pros flood the job market.
3. Funding Woes: Publishers are playing it safe, leaving little room for new and daring projects.
4. Steam’s Sea of Games: The marketplace is saturated, making visibility a challenge, even for quality games.
5. Marketing Ad Dollars required
6. Need to have Cool Art Visuals

Navigating Through Challenges:

The speaker’s advice to aspiring game developers is both cautionary and practical:

• Timing Matters: Wait for a more opportune time or hone your skills part-time while maintaining a steady income.
• Start Small: Create smaller games first to gain experience and learn from mistakes before committing to larger endeavors.

Game Dev is now a luxury, you have to spend a lot on marketing to get noticed so its wise to have alternative plans while working on it part time.

The verdict? If you’re eyeing a full-time gig as a game developer, the timing might not be on your side.

Hope Amidst the Pixels: Trent Kaniuga’s Insight 🌟

Enter Trent Kaniuga, bringing a glimmer of hope. Amidst the grim outlook, he shares insights on how to navigate this evolving industry. It’s not all doom and gloom—change is the only constant.

My Personal Take: A Ray of Creativity in the Storm ⚡

• Adapting to Change: Embrace the evolving industry landscape with agility and adaptability.
• Financial Preparedness: Maintain savings and financial resilience.
• Diversifying Income Streams: Seek alternative income streams beyond the gaming realm.

Here’s my two cents. While the giants in the industry may be reshuffling, I see it as an opportunity for a creative reset.

I do beleive that one can still be creative and earn in this tough climate. Maybe it’s good the economy and industry reset. The usual big hitters will still be there but its better to find another path while exploring this part time, build up skills and publish something. 🚀🎮