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I quit my job today to make video games full time

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Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#51

Post by RobertRoberts »

icedchai wrote: post #49
RobertRoberts wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was sued before over IP stuff, when I was a young kid and was working on a project. They only wanted to sue the large company with the big pockets, but I had to be named because I worked on the project. (freelance work) Being sued really, really sucks, even if you have no real liability. Especially when you are young.

Interesting. Did you have to pay any part of the settlement, hire a lawyer, or what?

I settled for a pittance (a lot for a kid, but nothing for the lawsuit) and then they continued after the big player. So, just being in association with a larger player can be dangerous if you aren't protected well. (my lesson learned)

Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#52

Post by ordinaryperson »

Good for him, I hope he finds happiness. BUT...

My ex worked for [MAJOR VIDEO GAME PUBLISHER] and if he gets a job like that: say goodbye to your friends, family, nights and weekends.

I had dinner with my ex yesterday -- even tho [MAJOR VIDEO GAME] has been released for a while now there's DLCs coming out before the holidays and it's crunch AGAIN...my ex is working 6-7 days a week, 10am-10pm. The co has offices in several timezones so work is always flooding in, 24 hours a day.

I don't want to discourage anyone from following their dreams, and maybe indie vg publishing is a different beast, but I feel like this post potentially under-represents how crushing working in vg publishing can be.

Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#53

Post by TheMagicHorsey »

I used to program video games for a living. It's not all unicorns and sunshine. Just because the cubicles have cool drawings of video game characters all over them and you have an Xbox in the lounge doesn't mean that work is going to be more satisfying. In video games hours are longer and wages are lower because so many people want to live the dream.

I make approximately 4 times more money in cash at my new career in a startup. And that doesn't count equity. The place I work is doing well so my equity is worth significantly more than that (but it was a lottery ticket so just consider the cash component). On top of that, the product I work on improves the lives of people more tangibly than entertainment does.

I still love video games and hang out with my friends from that industry ... but all the ones with families are trying to get out of the industry just like I did.

It's a shit career unless you are at one of the top companies like Blizzard, Riot, etc.

Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#54

Post by wildrhythms »

commandlinefan wrote: post #19

You left a job that gave you a cubicle? Man, I'd kill for a job that gave me a damned cubicle instead of a cacophonous open office... but sadly there are none left except for the one you just gave up.

I've worked in an open office plan in various different offices and I vastly prefer it. I value being able to wave at my colleague to ask them a question. I value people not feeling interruptive when they approach me at my desk. I value the transparency of it all. We would even shuffle the desks (using a random algorithm) every quarter so people could have new neighbors (this was my favorite part, although I still consider myself an introvert). I'd rather be exposed at my desk than isolated in a tiny cube any day.

(This is not sarcasm, I've worked in these spaces for 3 years and I enjoy discussion about open office spaces.)

Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#55

Post by zukalous »

Hey thanks for finding my post. I have always thought I wasn’t cool enough for hacker news. AMA. To answer a couple questions 1) Before I joined any company I always had my personal lawyer review the contract to make sure it allowed me to make my own games on my own equipment. Wouldn’t work for a place that didn’t. 2) I am aware of the opportunity cost of having no to little salary for a few years. But I factored personal satisfaction and FOMO into what the actual cost was. Plus you gotta live a little.

Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#56

Post by zukalous »

ordinaryperson wrote: post #52

Good for him, I hope he finds happiness. BUT... My ex worked for [MAJOR VIDEO GAME PUBLISHER] and if he gets a job like that: say goodbye to your friends, family, nights and weekends. I had dinner with my ex yesterday -- even tho [MAJOR VIDEO GAME] has been released for a while now there's DLCs coming out before the holidays and it's crunch AGAIN...my ex is working 6-7 days a week, 10am-10pm. The co has offices in se…

Never want to work for a big publisher. I am trying to go the self published small label route. I basically see myself as a pulp paperback writer but with digital instead of words and pulp.

Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#59

Post by deepaksurti »

zukalous wrote: post #55

Hey thanks for finding my post. I have always thought I wasn’t cool enough for hacker news. AMA. To answer a couple questions 1) Before I joined any company I always had my personal lawyer review the contract to make sure it allowed me to make my own games on my own equipment. Wouldn’t work for a place that didn’t. 2) I am aware of the opportunity cost of having no to little salary for a few years. But I factored per…

I didn't know what FOMO is:

FOMO = Fear of Missing Out.

Good luck zukalous !

Re: I quit my job today to make video games full time

#60

Post by zukalous »

batoure wrote: post #34

I was comming in here initially to be like.... "Wait have a plan!!! reaches out with hand to pull you back from jumping off a cliff " Then I realized this dude is the maker of "1 screen platformer" he's gonna do just fine

Thanks for your vote of confidence. It is still a risk but I wanted to do one of these “I quit my job” posts that wasn’t like “now all I have to do is learn how to program and I can make my open world mmo life simulator.” I have been very meticulous in my planning but still aware that this is a risk.
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