So you want to be a game developer? Dive into the world of game development through a lens that's rarely shared. Forget the clichés and the "just hang in there" advice. This issue is about real stories, real data, and concrete paths that have led individuals to successful careers in gaming.

After analyzing 1,000 LinkedIn profiles of senior developers across five disciplines (Art, Animation, Production, Engineering, and Design), I’ve unearthed some compelling insights into how these professionals started their journey in game development. Here’s what I found₁:

1. A Diverse Beginning: A (un)surprising 40% initiated their careers outside the gaming industry, finding their niche in game development later on.

2. Direct Entry: About 27% of professionals started their careers directly within game development, showcasing the industry's openness to nurturing talent from the get-go; this was limited to specific disciplines.

3. The QA Gateway: Contrary to common beliefs, 17% began their journey in QA, underscoring its value as a stepping stone in the industry.

4. Freelance and Internships: Both avenues accounted for 8% each, indicating the competitive and limited nature of these opportunities but also their importance as entry points.

An Uncertain Path Forward

The paths to entering the game development industry are as varied as the games we love. From transitioning from entirely different industries to starting directly in game dev, these insights reveal that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to breaking into the field.

Is There More?

In upcoming issues, we'll dive deeper into each discipline, providing a more granular look at how professionals in Art, Animation, Production, Engineering, and Design carved their paths into game development.

Are you on your path to a career in game development, or have you already made it? Share your journey with me. Your story could inspire a future game developer.

1. for the purposes of this experiment, “senior” refers to anyone with more than 6 years of experience. QA was left out since it was determined early on that this was, in fact, a significant path for certain disciplines.