The Games Game

If you can make it in Alaska... (April 2008)

Dear Tom,

I am a hobbyist game developer who shall be graduating from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a bachelors in CS at the end of this semester. I have been evaluating my options now, and I see them as follows:

A) Apply for an entry level position in the games industry
B) Go to graduate school
c) Start my own company

A is straightforward enough, and I am currently applying to companies, as I might as well apply no matter what I decide to do.

B depends on whether I can get a scholarship. Assuming I can, my question then is: how does having a master's degree effect getting a job in the industry? I'm sure I would enjoy the experience, but will it advantage me any.

C is my little ploy to get a published title under my name (after a friend pointed out that the games I have made as a hobby are technically published, as I have posted them online). An Xbox Live Arcade project should be doable with a minimal team and a short development cycle. But are there any hidden dangers or problems with creating one's own casual gaming company?

Thanks,
- Seth Chadwick

Seth,

Wow, I had a strange feeling of déjà vu when I read your question. Your question is somewhat similar to my December 2007 column, but with a different set of options.

A. Looking at David Perry's Game Industry Map 2.0 just now, I see that there are no game companies in Alaska, much less in Fairbanks. So how you can say you are already applying for jobs is beyond me. It's extremely unlikely for raw grads to get hired at long distance - as I wrote in my April 2003 column. You have to move first, before you can get hired.

B. I can't promise that a graduate degree will help you get a job, but I can promise that it won't hurt your chances. If you want to go for that degree and are able to do it, I think it'd be a good idea.

C. Re starting your own company, there are dangers galore, and they ain't in hiding. I've written a lot about what it takes to start your own game business. See my March 2003 and December 2005 columns, and Article 29 on my site. Sure, go ahead and make games using XNA, and submit them to Xbox Live. But not in hopes of making a living that way -- rather, to build a solid portfolio.

Your friend isn't quite right - your previous efforts aren't "published" in the usual industry-accepted sense. Yes, technically, posting a game online is "publishing" it, but as soon as you start telling interviewers that you've published games, they'll ask who the publisher is, how many units it sold, and right away they'll be able to put the claim into perspective.

Lastly, I object to your use of the word "gaming" in reference to our beloved industry. But I'm up against my word count limit, so that rant will have to wait for a later column.