What's it's really like to work in Game industry

"You get paid to play games all day?" Everyone thinks the video game industry is just fun and games. I'm here to tell you it's not. It complex software development and problem solving with a twist. Not only do you have to make a solid software program, on time, on budget. You also have to make sure its fun. Building games is hard enough. Building a game that is fun and makes money is even harder.
Discover all the different positions that have to come together to make a hit video game. Learn the differences of working at AAA publisher, a developer to a startup indie studio. The highs, the lows, the late nights, where we harvest unicorn tears and lots of caffeine. Did I mention caffeine? Over my 20 years in video games I have seen it all, and lived to talk about. Please come with questions, prepared to laugh and learn why we don't get paid to play games all day.

[@bladelazoe]

I see a lot of comments from people that the moment they realize the truth about the game industry, it just turns them off, I watched the entire video and even though his warnings are probably legit, I still want to do this. Everything he said whether good or bad makes me want to do this even more.

[@blacklyfe5543]

Facts me too

[@had1t1x85]

I'd like to do this too one day, just to see what it's like

[@davidkreidler5462]

Same

[@MrFIRESEAL117]

@@had1t1x85 a glutton for punishment I see.

[@maybewownow156]

You smoking that shit

[@realfantasygames6027]

Been an indie developer is far more gratificant than work for others, you create your ideas your stuff as you really like.

[@BravoSixGoingDark]

No wonder there are so many Indie games these days. That makes alot of sense.

[@steve00alt70]

the mentality is shifting now its not like old skool mentality anymore

[@xaby996]

Big publishers aren't required anymore for indie games. Just look at UE4. Easy to learn hard to master. Games built for multiple platforms

[@ThatOneGuy0006]

Shock horror! A game design job is a fucking job!!!

[@kelzthahitman]

So Spooky! So is the Music Industry!

[@koolkat8639]

I wanted this video to last longer, very informative, thank you for posting this up.

[@andrewpadilla5732]

GREAT VIDEO!,IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND PUT'S THE SPOTLIGHT ON SUBJECT'S AND ANSWER'S QUESTION'S THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WHO HOLD AN INTEREST IN THE INDUSTRY! AGAIN GREAT VIDEO!

[@alianajacobs5703]

Thanks for this insights, it's very informative!

[@Larkinchance]

What you are describing is what Hollywood does when it produces a big budget motion picture. It is about commerce and profit. Corporate demands perverts the artist in the name of profit. Not everyone wants a first person shooter with incredibly detailed graphics.. This just one direction. I am in favor of independents. Markus Persson who developed Minecraft is a great example of what can be done outside of the corporate system..

[@chern0ble377]

Larkinchance Notch is a sellout who couldn't rise to the challenge of being the ultimate exception that an indie developer couldn't be successful and gave the game to a giant corporation and proved that game developers shouldn't care about their creations and should just sell them when the opportunity arrives

[@Larkinchance]

lone Thank you for responding.. I do agree, Markus is a sell out. But he and his small crew produced a game that is incredibly successful and self marketed, download only. Microsoft paid Notch 3 billion because I believe that they want it for back door data collection. I wished that he didn't sell to Microsoft because they are evil. In any event Notch and his small crew has proven that it can be done outside of the corporate system and new and young game developers should not worry about getting that job at Blizzard. Start small. Just look at the crew that developed the first Doom. Don't look for the right company, look for the talented people and join them. Finally, Notch has a 20 million dollar house in the Hollywood hills, a Bugatti in the driveway and dozens of goldbrickin whores climbing the hill to his house. Everyone around him is a sycophant or a hustler. He's miserable and wants to go home. He is proving to himself that money isn't everything. I wrote him a note and suggested that he roll up his sleeves and go back to work. Richard Gariott is another one who like Faust, sold his soul to the devil. I believe that art is more important that money... Just try to tell that to an account executive.

[@infinitesimotel]

The big lie is that you think you need the industry to get anywhere. Bullshit. Talent and work show itself. Build your own empire, don't get absorbed into some giant mediocre mass. Make your own mark.

[@ProGamerWoW1]

13:15 "How did you manage so many projects at once?" "Speed, caffeine"

[@Madlv1714]

So Meth and Coffee

[@irislafontaine6287]

I thought it was funny that it seemed like he said it to elicit a few chuckles, but he got total silence.

[@Neventual]

I know "Evil Geniuses" password.

[@N0biKn0bi]

I guess it's the answer to life, the universe and everything.

[@ruler_of_everything]

i can't believe this dude just gets paid to play games all day

[@devjitpaul1191]

god i wish my college had teachers like this guy, my maya teacher doesn't know what the wedge tool is, he told me model a ac vent. by hand.

[@FREDDYDOG911]

If you're watching this video and immediately thinking along the lines of "I don't want to do that", you'd better rethink entering this industry or at least the sector you want to work in, within it (Indie, AA+ etc.). Now with that said, being concerned about working such extreme hours relative to the pay you'll get, definitely makes sense and no one really wants that. But that's why alongside your soft and technical attributes, one very important trait you need to inherit or immediately exhibit, is a great ambition for video game creation. If you don't have a passion for making games, you're going to find It very difficult to be motivated during the creative process, you're going to find it difficult to recharge after stressful work hours, justifying sacrifices will be difficult and overall you may possibly fail to recognize the reward of what you make/made. That's why game studios like Naughty Dog, Bethesda, EA, Guerrilla Games, Kojima Productions, Konami, Nintendo, Ubisoft et cetera, that dispense AA+ titles always take that heavily into consideration during the interviewing process as well as your other abilities of course. If you still remain unsure of your ambition though, I'd advise that you take a computer science program so that you have an exit strategy if the industry isn't compatible with what you want. Realistically, it's most of the AA+ studios that are raided by the problems he's describing and not much with indie development companies. But in general, It's a very important ability you have to elicit in order to maintain your sanity when in the game industry.

[@jERRYNvideos]

Very informative video, thank you :). Please could you post links in descriptions to books and other sources you mentioned? And also, if someone has a question, we can't hear it. So please, before you answer that question, could you repeat it?

[@sterlthepearl1000]

Thank You for uploading to this Marvelous Website, at KZbin. When one is a Gamer, they can live a 1,000 life's.

[@christiansquitieri6149]

So rude for those people to be on their phones right in front of a presenter. No respect. Great talk, though! Still can't wait to get an education and make my way into the games industry.

[@andyfritter]

I agree, I was really annoyed with the purple shirt guy. I'd gladly take his place if he doesn't want to take things seriously.

[@PWN-GAMING]

Awesome talk!

[@purplenakedladies4756]

I would join just for the caffeine

[@Yipper64]

5:45 that sounds like a challenge. I will make an attempt to, one day. Map the analogue stick to the mouse, onscreen keyboard, it could be done.

[@Js103036]

I wanted to be in the game industry, i even have an associates degree in game design, but it seems the corporate world has take over it. I remember making fun mods on UT2 and UT3. I even use to visit TimeGame studios which doesn't exist any more (makers of section8 and Fear). The game industry was very small, immature, and the word gamer didn't even exist. I think the game industry was even more fun, free, and collaboration friendly back then. It seems everything now-a-days is about profit and little about experimentation and new ideas. I've stuck to being indie and find being indie is where the old school has been give a rebirth to creative design and free forming ideas.

[@Js103036]

True that. I'm working on an indie project right now as we speak.

[@miguelpereira9859]

Are you having a good experience? I'ce heard that the INDIE scene can be very tough too.

[@Js103036]

Oh boy has it been a hard road so far. You get use to things breaking and not working the way it's suppose to. I think the most difficult is project and team management.

[@Larkinchance]

What you are describing is what Hollywood does when it produces a big budget motion picture. It is about commerce and profit. Corporate demands perverts the artist in the name of profit. Not everyone wants a first person shooter with incredibly detailed graphics.. This just one direction. I am in favor of independents. Markus Persson who developed Minecraft is a great example of what can be done outside of the corporate system..Unfortunately Minecraft has been purchased by Microsoft who is already monetizing and reining in the mod-community..

[@Js103036]

Most agreed. It's also the difference between Japanese games and western games. Japan is adaptable to making changes in graphics so that they can perhaps focus on gameplay for a core audiences of a specific genre. An example of this that I've discovered for them it can be about how they can challenge or improve the quality of gameplay from other games that already exist and to create originality or absurdity to make their games stand out. Obviously we don't to this in the western world because companies fear it will not capture the mainstream audience looking for the next best thing, not to mention it can potentially question a company's reputation. I would agree that if We Love Katamari came out by a western audience, it probably would have been demonized (yet perhaps still loved in japan).

[@katyphelan3722]

i'm 38 and always want to be a video game tester but no experience . i know how to video games and spot the bugs when playing it but questing not it doesn't really count .?

[@ronaldckrausejr7762]

Imagine the budgets of games such as the COD series or what GTA6 will be like. The downturn, enjoy it while it lasts. For the next generation consoles one will have to have numerous computer servers which will cost in excess of one hundred thousand a piece. Not that rare, but this will exclude a lot of people who want to get into the game from something besides a large company. Not all that far down the road will require hardware that will be leased out; even on a per hour basis - from companies such as CRAY

[@Franku40keks]

16:19 that was Bizarre Creations. They made Blur which was awesome.

[@jeremiahcripps8488]

@MinneStarMedia What is your stance in regards to FullSail for a novice looking to get into game development, other than the hefty tuition price tag.

[@fernandoperez9025]

It's really a competitive sector. I visited DigiPen stand at GDC on 2012 and the reason they went there was not to promote their school. They were looking for video game companies that wanted to hire their students! It was also very strange for me that people from Carnegie Melon also had difficulties to get a job in this industry in that event.

[@okamichamploo]

My school boasted a 99% employment rate for graduates. I know maybe 2 people from my graduating class that got jobs in the game industry. Most of the others ended up working at arcades or convenience stores. I guess the 99% employment rate just meant you will get "a job", any job, after graduating.

[@gaming_loungebj4540]

I love all advanced techics and talk with like minded smart coworkers and generate money with our creative mindsets .

[@chowder5901]

Is it bad that even after all that, it still seems very exciting to work in the games industry? I live for the crunch, that stress of always running around and not knowing exactly what is going to go wrong. What job specifically best fits that?

[@FeelLikeGastly]

Chowderp sounds like a perfect opportunity for computer science. Maybe something like working on new face recognition software or joining an indie game company

[@katie-st8nx]

way less money then any other programming job and way less appreciation

[@diegoacosta8550]

Nuclear reactor meltdown specialist.

[@pareshpetkar480]

can i get the presentation plz

[@AdamSaeed]

I'm willingly watching this video and getting excited about it every minute although it's a full lecture (50min). What do you think guys, should I sign up for it?

[@bladelazoe]

Right? most people got discouraged from all the legit warning signs about the industry that you will face, and I'm just sitting here thinking....Now I DEFINITELY want to work in the industry. Like I never once thought....oh so that's how it is, nvm outa here. Nope I actually got more excited as he continued to get deeper into what its like.

[@Yipper64]

9:45 bargin bin titles, but hey, its still like full releases, not quite indie stuff here.

[@kumargaurav2207]

which movie he said on netflix?

[@R3zzRhino]

so do u make money, would u get tossed around until u feel like quiting. feel like the big producers would use u and not get anywhere much

[@Mad1Caster]

was he talking about snow wolf or white wolf? when it came to gothic

[@sterlthepearl1000]

40:50 Right. People will not assume we possess the ability, until we demonstrate it.

[@skizee1630]

I never thought it was just playing games

[@boa9557]

what if ur gonna start a game company

[@katyphelan3722]

i'm done apply to video game companies because i already know that i will be rejected before they even look at or care to .

[@garlincheatham8391]

Most important words 41:05 to 41:40 . I learned C++ less than a week ago and I'm making calculators and mad libs! I know that beginner level but, that's the start I guess. I'll make my own game one day! If I dont I'll help someone make THEIR game. Small steps and big leaps!

[@reblfist8849]

Best of luck to you!!

[@angelfernandez3485]

I know it's hard but if your passionate about games and you want to do something to revolutionize the industry then you got to keep going. The creator of Apple didn't get there in a day

[@mikhailcampos]

Which is his name???

[@katyphelan3722]

why doesn't anything count that you done in previous jobs as experience .?

[@Attihan]

A 50 min presentation? I cant even do more than 7 :O

[@hammy3815]

You dont design games with controller ... Dreams comes out :D Great talk btw.

[@jothishpraburpita463]

8:40 🤣😂🤣😂

[@Baseshocks]

Same as construction compay's, if you work for a good company they will manage the job's properly, you will work 8 hrs day steady, sometimes you have to work overtime but its the nature of the beast. Shit managed company's bid cheap, pay their employees cheap and expect them to work stupid long hours. If you can only buy x amount of dev kits then have your employees on rotating nights and days or have new employees work nights then move to days. Nevermind he talked about it in the video "fun prison" lol.

[@GothicTech]

Evil Geniuses should change his password XD

[@PeterBatemon]

At the end the speaker says that he can be contacted to speak at events, however I don't think he ever says his name. I was wondering if anyone knows who he is and how to contact him. You can PM me if you'd like.

[@showwavemaharjan3517]

For all those people in the comments yapping about how miserable AAA+ EMPLOYMENT is, its the same, which ever fucking creative field you choose, but guess what, working just 9-5 as an a ccountant or in any other commerce field is much worse than you think. You would rather enjoy work 90 hr/week in a gaming industry than fucking recording the same old fucking macros in a spreadsheet. Or typing 1000 of stupid letters and emails that makes no fucking sense and the worst part is the office environment, like formalities, uniforms, and fucking papers all over the building. Just go work as a GAME DEVELOPER. Life will be fine.

[@casimirotavaresmiroitavare9905]

Can anyone tell me the name of this speaker

[@falejohnn]

Chip Pedersen

[@hausofone]

Is there something wrong? You feel he's been too negative right? Cos that's how I feel.

[@geom5732]

Making games makes your game

[@Spirit-oh8pk]

this guy is very funny

[@drac8854]

Can't hear properly too low voice Is mic on?

[@katyphelan3722]

if you play online will you get notice by video game companies .?

[@mauricemarsh5338]

so...... are you the one who make this video or did someone else do it for you.

[@ashfernandes7327]

guy with the "evil geniuses" shirt was on his phone.

[@infinitesimotel]

He knows the whole scene is over saturated and futile. The best way in is "who you know" otherwise you are yet another face in the crowd. Incidentally I hate those phones, what the hell do people do on them that is so fascinating anyway?

[@douweddouwed-9184]

not just that kid, the girl is way more on her phone than him, id send them out

[@jdlocotxftw2002]

19:47 - "Oh did you say developer? . . I'm not a developer . . . " WTF!?

[@hcirs9425]

jdlocotxftw2002 You should really learn to know a salesman when you see one

[@KingUnity22]

He works in production. Not design and development.

[@stacymitchell1890]

Though crowd

[@cartertron3000]

That man in the purple really giving me cocky vibes the whole interview

[@dashawnrobinson7382]

At 16:13 he was speaking on the UK dev. team Bizarre Creations Limited and I actually liked Blur.

[@Chris-nn3vu]

*English.. call a kiwi an ozzie and expect a nosebleed..

[@RaskaTheFurry]

The best combo would be A game dev that loves playing those games. ( Geme dev and tester in one person, saving money >.> )

[@Larkinchance]

The guy lecturing up on the clip is a suit in casual clothes.. The big companies want whatever you got and when they get it, they throw you away like garbage. Look for the independents, look for the artists. Fuck the cash.

[@husinneelove9823]

i don't want to make games anymore.

[@Larkinchance]

What this man describing is what Hollywood does when it produces a big budget motion picture. It is about commerce and profit. Corporate demands perverts the artist in the name of profit. Not everyone wants a first person shooter with incredibly detailed graphics.. This just one direction. I am in favor of independents. Markus Persson who developed Minecraft is a great example of what can be done outside of the corporate system..

[@hausofone]

This video is making me doubt my capabilities. It's scary. But let's not give up nothing in life comes easy.

[@MrNerdyBrit]

They are not trying to discourage anyone. They are addressing misconceptions about working in games, as there are a very large amount of people that try to get into the games industry or study games at college or university simply because they think it's going to be easy.

[@DaMeshMonster]

It is stressful

[@MrNerdyBrit]

Game development is an actual job.

[@KaitoKaze]

some do use controller as a macro lol

[@darrenrobinson5123]

Kaito Kaze

[@darrenrobinson5123]

Kaito Kaze

[@k.g.5096]

FREE POT

[@MrAzarino]

Take that man's phone off him! So rude! >:(

[@allenosborn3599]

Loved the video. Got to say screw those kids tho. Half the time they were on facebook.

[@Icenaryhr]

Eevill geeniusses 😂😂 dota ftw

[@leonwilliam2028]

they are blocking all doors no matter how talented you are

[@KaitoKaze]

it's not per say hard, but usually take time and effort lol

[@MrNerdyBrit]

It's very hard.

[@bigironfist626]

season pass and preorders seem legit tho...

[@RaskaTheFurry]

The reason why PC came back is overall performance and better value/performance than consoles. As well you are completely free. Want powerful machine ? You can. Want budget ? You can. Dont like Windows ? Get Linux... As well PC due its power gets all the new stuff and its a work standard, so, why not have a PC. And many more things. Its not hard to get into PC gaming, its easy as get it, plug it and play

[@Chris-nn3vu]

Shut up nPC

[@Ryan-xq3kl]

Didnt work on doom, didnt listen

[@steve00alt70]

I'm sorry but this guy is thinking of the old way of making games in t was done in 2005 upwards. Now in 2017 its changing now to a more laid back approach not working long ass hours anymore, and looking after developers and artists taking and interest in them, companies like EA are doing this. And I'm so glad.

[@mcbvideogames]

Optic500 Isn't there a lot of controversy with big companies right now for exploiting their employees?

[@steve00alt70]

yes there is its against the law now, if the employee's feel that they are being overworked if its not in the contract then they can take legal action. Its changing for the better now because the employee's have family and priorities other than just making games, fuck the old way of doing stuff.

[@katyphelan3722]

Is this video legitimately real job advice here .???

[@projectmagnesium8804]

OMFG what the fuck you guys. Intro's way too damn long.

[@NoNo-ce8xb]

Talks about stealing and doing drugs (Speed) in less than 20 mins .... and we wonder why blizzard was in hot water ?? LOL Focus ib iur games and stop doping up