Games Industry
Is it hard to get into the games industry?
The games industry is easy to enter, yet hard to be noticed. Grab some friends, open a game engine, and boom, you're making games. No gatekeeping there! But making a living in games? That’s where things get brutal.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world where creativity alone won’t save you. Studios want engagement metrics, publishers chase trends, and algorithms decide whether your game sees the light of day. The industry rewards data, marketability, and personal branding more than raw innovation. You could craft a masterpiece, but if it doesn’t fit the meta, it’ll vanish into the abyss of ignored titles.
That said, survival is possible. If you’re adaptable, business-savvy, and relentless, you can carve out a niche—whether that’s indie dev, working at a studio, or leveraging a community to keep your work alive.
So yes, entry is easy, success is war.But if you love making games, you’ll fight that battle anyway.
Getting into the games industry is like breaking into a haunted amusement park... exciting, full of weird surprises, and occasionally you see a soul get crushed. But don’t worry! Here’s how you can get in for fun or for profit (or at least rent money).
For Fun:
So, whether you’re in it for laughs or loot, just start. The only way to get into games is to make them. Even if your first one is an unplayable mess.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world where creativity alone won’t save you. Studios want engagement metrics, publishers chase trends, and algorithms decide whether your game sees the light of day. The industry rewards data, marketability, and personal branding more than raw innovation. You could craft a masterpiece, but if it doesn’t fit the meta, it’ll vanish into the abyss of ignored titles.
That said, survival is possible. If you’re adaptable, business-savvy, and relentless, you can carve out a niche—whether that’s indie dev, working at a studio, or leveraging a community to keep your work alive.
So yes, entry is easy, success is war.But if you love making games, you’ll fight that battle anyway.
Getting into the games industry is like breaking into a haunted amusement park... exciting, full of weird surprises, and occasionally you see a soul get crushed. But don’t worry! Here’s how you can get in for fun or for profit (or at least rent money).
For Fun:
- Download a free game engine (Unity, Godot, Unreal). Yes, it’s terrifying at first, but so is regret when you never take the effort to follow a dream.
- Make something tiny—a game where a cube jumps, a silly dating sim about raccoons, anything. Brackeys has a great start with his Godot tutorial.
- Find fellow nerds—online, at game jams, or in your friend group. Game-making is 300% more fun with others... but be careful here, enthusiasm does not equate to effort and people easily give up.
- Steal game mechanics—I mean, “get inspired” by classics and add your own twist.
- Share your disasters—everyone’s first game is garbage. That’s tradition. Post it anyway.
- Freelance work—Make art, music, or code for someone else’s game. You’ll get paid, and they deal with the existential crisis.
- Mods & assets—Sell 2D sprites, 3D models, or plugins. Developers will buy anything that saves them time.
- Indie game gamble—Make a game, market the heck out of it, and hope the algorithm gods bless you.
- Game industry jobs—Studios want portfolios, not just diplomas. Show you can finish a project, and you’ve got a shot.
- Become a game dev influencer—People make money just talking about games. If you can make memes and code, you win. If you figure out how to pull this one off let me know... this one is just a tacked on idea.
So, whether you’re in it for laughs or loot, just start. The only way to get into games is to make them. Even if your first one is an unplayable mess.
How to get into the game industry with no experience?
You would never hire you to make your dream game. Not yet. If you were a studio, you’d take one look at yourself and say, “Great enthusiasm. No experience. Hard pass.”
But that’s fixable. Here’s how you go from ‘noob’ to ‘hireable’ (or indie boss) one baby step at a time:
Step 1: Make the Worst Game Ever
But that’s fixable. Here’s how you go from ‘noob’ to ‘hireable’ (or indie boss) one baby step at a time:
Step 1: Make the Worst Game Ever
- Download Unity, Unreal, or Godot. Don’t overthink it. Just pick one.
- Follow a YouTube tutorial. Copy it like your grade depended on it.
- Your game will be ugly, buggy, and barely functional—this is perfect.
- A game with one mechanic (jumping, dodging, clicking).
- Add a menu, a win/lose condition, and call it DONE.
- Upload it to itch.io so you can point at it and say, ‘I made this.’
- Ludum Dare, Global Game Jam, or smaller jams on Itch.
- You’ll work fast, fail fast, and learn even faster.
- Most importantly, you’ll meet other devs.
- Make game assets (sprites, music, UI) and sell them.
- Offer freelance work on Fiverr, Upwork, or Discord game dev groups.
- Mod a popular game—mods get attention, and attention gets jobs.
- By now, you’ve got: games to show, skills to sell, and confidence.
- Studios hire based on portfolios, not diplomas—your tiny games matter.
- Or, if you hate authority, release your own game and become your own boss.
What are the best jobs in the gaming industry?
The best job in the gaming industry is the one that pays you to do what you love. But it depends on what your skills allow you to do. So let’s be real, not all roles are equally accessible (or lucrative).
Easiest Jobs to Get Into (No Experience? No Problem.)
Want the big bucks? Learn programming, 3D art, or monetization.
Either way, get real experience making games (even small ones), and doors will open!
Easiest Jobs to Get Into (No Experience? No Problem.)
- Game Tester (QA Tester) – Play unfinished games, break them, report bugs. Good entry point, low pay.
- Community Manager – Handle social media, engage with players, survive internet rage. Decent pay.
- Game Writer (Narrative Design Assistant) – If you can write and tolerate revisions, this is an entry path. Lower pay, hard to break into.
- Customer Support / Live Ops – Support players in online games, handle tickets, absorb complaints. Easy to enter, but… brace yourself.
- Technical Director – Manages all the coding magic, easily six figures.
- Senior Game Developer (Programmer) – Writes the actual game. One of the highest-paid roles.
- 3D Artist (Specialized in Characters or Environments) – Advanced skills mean big paychecks.
- Game Designer (Senior/Lead Level) – Balances mechanics, systems, and player fun. Tough to break into, but good money.
- Producer (Project Manager for Games) – Keeps devs from missing deadlines. Great pay, but lots of stress.
- Marketing & Monetization Expert – Figures out how to make the game print money. Often paid more than the devs.
Want the big bucks? Learn programming, 3D art, or monetization.
Either way, get real experience making games (even small ones), and doors will open!
Being An Author
How do you get your book published?
How do you get your book published? Well, that depends—what’s your endgame? Do you want money, exposure, experience, or notoriety? Different paths lead to different rewards, so choose your adventure:
1. MONEY (You want to make a living.)
Hard to hear this, but the self-publishing route has a higher chance of success on this one. You keep up to 70% royalties on Amazon KDP, control your book’s pricing, and can earn faster than with traditional publishing. But it’s a business—you’ll need to market like a beast (ads, newsletters, social media).
Traditional publishing may be your best bet, but the time and effort it takes is stressful for most. A big publisher (Penguin, HarperCollins, etc.) puts your book in bookstores and libraries. But it’s slow (1-2 years to publish) and competitive (you need an agent).
Try small presses or hybrid publishing. Small publishers handle editing, cover design, and distribution, but you earn lower royalties than self-publishing. Some hybrid publishers help for a fee, but beware of scams.
Get traditionally published and win awards. Major publishers push books into bestseller lists and literary circles. If you want your name in The New York Times, this is the way.
Personal note:
Traditional publishing is a trap for most new authors. The industry is oversaturated, with thousands of books flooding agents’ inboxes daily, and only a tiny fraction ever getting deals. Even if you land a contract, you’ll wait years for release, get 10–15% royalties (if that), and be expected to market the book yourself anyway. Meanwhile, self-published authors are earning in real time, adapting to trends, and keeping up to 70% of profits. Unless you’re chasing literary prestige or awards, traditional publishing is often just a slow, outdated gamble that benefits publishers more than authors.
1. MONEY (You want to make a living.)
Hard to hear this, but the self-publishing route has a higher chance of success on this one. You keep up to 70% royalties on Amazon KDP, control your book’s pricing, and can earn faster than with traditional publishing. But it’s a business—you’ll need to market like a beast (ads, newsletters, social media).
- Steps: Write → Edit → Design a killer cover → Publish on Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, etc. → Market aggressively.
- Best for: Fast movers who want direct control and high earning potential.
Traditional publishing may be your best bet, but the time and effort it takes is stressful for most. A big publisher (Penguin, HarperCollins, etc.) puts your book in bookstores and libraries. But it’s slow (1-2 years to publish) and competitive (you need an agent).
- Steps: Write → Edit → Query literary agents → Get a book deal → Survive editorial revisions → Wait.
- Best for: Those who want industry backing and prestige.
Try small presses or hybrid publishing. Small publishers handle editing, cover design, and distribution, but you earn lower royalties than self-publishing. Some hybrid publishers help for a fee, but beware of scams.
- Steps: Write → Research reputable indie presses → Submit.
- Best for: Writers who want guidance without going fully solo.
Get traditionally published and win awards. Major publishers push books into bestseller lists and literary circles. If you want your name in The New York Times, this is the way.
- Steps: Same as traditional publishing, but prepare for the grind of networking and publicity.
- Best for: Authors who crave credibility and media recognition.
Personal note:
Traditional publishing is a trap for most new authors. The industry is oversaturated, with thousands of books flooding agents’ inboxes daily, and only a tiny fraction ever getting deals. Even if you land a contract, you’ll wait years for release, get 10–15% royalties (if that), and be expected to market the book yourself anyway. Meanwhile, self-published authors are earning in real time, adapting to trends, and keeping up to 70% of profits. Unless you’re chasing literary prestige or awards, traditional publishing is often just a slow, outdated gamble that benefits publishers more than authors.
How Do You Make Money as an Author?
Short answer: You don’t make enough to live, thus the starving artist. Not at first.
Long answer: Writing pays like a long con—you have to build credibility and a foundation before the money rolls in. Until you’re the exception to the rule, you have to play by the rules—which means writing consistently, getting published anywhere you can, and following what works.
Step 1: Get Your Name Out There (Before Expecting Cash)
Long answer: Writing pays like a long con—you have to build credibility and a foundation before the money rolls in. Until you’re the exception to the rule, you have to play by the rules—which means writing consistently, getting published anywhere you can, and following what works.
Step 1: Get Your Name Out There (Before Expecting Cash)
- Submit to competitions – Winning or placing gives credibility and prize money.
- Write articles & guest posts – Many sites and magazines pay for quality content.
- Build a portfolio – Readers need proof you exist before they pay for your work.
- Self-Publish on Amazon KDP – Keep up to 70% of sales, but expect slow growth.
- Sell Short Stories & Novellas – Patreon, Gumroad, or exclusive magazine deals.
- Freelance Writing – Ghostwriting, content writing, or writing for games (good money here).
- Start a Newsletter – Email lists are gold. Offer a free short story, then sell books later.
- Publish multiple books – One book won’t make you rich, but a series can.
- Create courses or guides – People pay for writing advice, especially from working authors.
- Get a literary agent – If you’re going traditional, this is the key to big advances.
How Do I Market My Book?
Step 1: Hope and a Dream.
Step 2: A Strategy That Actually Works.
Your book won’t sell itself, and marketing is a struggle. The best strategy? Stack your momentum. Start with in-person events, book signings, conventions, and even bribing your friends. The goal is to get a concentrated sales spike in as little time as possible. That visibility triggers algorithms when you move online. If you tell podcasters/influencers/vloggers your book is on the charts, they will be willing to work with you
Step 1: The Pre-Marketing Hype
In-Person Events First:
Step 2: The Online Blitz
Amazon Algorithm Hack:
Step 3: Keep the Momentum Going
Post-launch, keep engaging. More content = more eyes on your book.
Write another book. A series sells better than a standalone.
Leverage readers. Encourage fans to share, review, and recommend.
Final Advice? Your book’s success isn’t luck, it’s strategy. Get real-world momentum first, then hit online marketing hard.
Step 2: A Strategy That Actually Works.
Your book won’t sell itself, and marketing is a struggle. The best strategy? Stack your momentum. Start with in-person events, book signings, conventions, and even bribing your friends. The goal is to get a concentrated sales spike in as little time as possible. That visibility triggers algorithms when you move online. If you tell podcasters/influencers/vloggers your book is on the charts, they will be willing to work with you
Step 1: The Pre-Marketing Hype
In-Person Events First:
- Host a launch party, a reading, or partner with local bookstores.
- Get people to buy at the same time for a sales spike.
- Film it! Use this for online content.
- Website & Newsletter: Offer a free short story or bonus chapter to grab emails.
- Social Media: Pick one platform (TikTok, Instagram, Twitter). Post behind-the-scenes, book excerpts, and why people should care.
Step 2: The Online Blitz
Amazon Algorithm Hack:
- Ask early readers for reviews within the first week.
- Get 20+ sales in a short window to trigger Amazon’s "Customers Also Bought" recommendations.
- Kindle Unlimited Strategy: Enroll in KU (if it fits your strategy) for page reads = passive income.
- TikTok (BookTok): Show your book, talk about the plot like it’s drama.
- Instagram: Post aesthetic book photos + reels of your writing process.
- Twitter/X: Engage in author hashtags, tweet excerpts, and network.
- Amazon/Facebook ads work only if you already have traction.
- Start small, scale only when you see results.
Step 3: Keep the Momentum Going
Post-launch, keep engaging. More content = more eyes on your book.
Write another book. A series sells better than a standalone.
Leverage readers. Encourage fans to share, review, and recommend.
Final Advice? Your book’s success isn’t luck, it’s strategy. Get real-world momentum first, then hit online marketing hard.