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Don't Quit Your Job To Make Games
Key insights
6 takeaways- 01Treat the transition to full-time development as a calculated business venture rather than an impulsive career change to mitigate financial risk.
- 02Maintain a financial safety net of six to twelve months of living expenses before transitioning to full-time independent game development.
- 03Develop a high-quality, hyper-polished prototype to serve as the primary evidence of competence when pitching to publishers or crowdfunding platforms.
- 04Focus on incremental progress and the iterative refinement of craft to build the necessary credibility for larger-scale game productions.
- 05Prioritize building a track record by releasing several smaller, lower-stakes projects to gain technical proficiency and design experience before attempting a flagship title.
- 06Utilize a professional pitch deck, a compelling trailer, and a polished demo to secure external investment once a history of completed projects is established.
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Transcript
Some of you I I've I've had uh friends who say, "Thomas, you're such a risk taker. You started your own game studio. That's crazy." And I say, "I'm not a risktaker. I had $100,000 in the bank when I started when I quit my job." Like, that is not and I I was making 38 a year. That's not risk-taking at all. It's actually kind of like a much smarter bet. Jonathan says, "I'm working full-time and studying for a master's degree. At the same time, I'm in a career I realized I'm not passionate about. Do I start making video games?" Man, you know, I I think that uh I'm a big fan of finishing things. And this is coming from somebody who struggles sometimes to finish things. Okay? So, I would highly recommend for those of you who are in a a career path right now or mainly an education path primarily. So, like if you're in college, finish your degree. All right? If you're in high school, finish your degree. Don't make any crazy
decision. This is something I try and tell all of my students and I tell people all the time on my channel, do not quit your job with no plan. [music] Okay? Some of you I I've I've had uh friends who say, "Thomas, you're such a risk taker. you started your own game studio. That's crazy. And I say I'm not a risk taker. I had $100,000 in the bank when I started when I quit my job. Like that is not and I I was making 38 a year. That's not risk-taking at all. It's actually kind of like a much smarter bet. Kickstarter publishers monetizing your game while you make it. I'm a fan of it because I believe that you should have at least 6 months of salary or a year of salary. [music] six to six months to a year of salary to to be able to quit your job to make games full-time. I don't even recommend you do it with your first game. Honestly, I recommend you you make a couple really crappy short games. One of my students, he's a friend of mine now on Discord, uh [clears throat] his strategy is to make crappy games for 6 months. So, I think
it's like two crappy games in 6 months. That's awesome. Like, that's a great plan. And then when you're on that game where you where you know how to make games and you've got a really hyperpolished demo, that's when you begin finding funding. [music] Okay. So, so this raised, you know, $100,000 on Kickstarter, not because I was even close to being done with it. It was just a demo, right? But the demo was polished. [music] And it's really hard to make a polished demo that feels amazing and feels great [music] to play when you haven't at least released some crappy games. So, I say one or two crappy games before you make your polished prototype that is used to secure funding. Okay? [music] I don't want you guys to try and catch a shark until you've caught a couple bass first. Okay? That's that's a good metaphor for you. [music] In fact, that's a really good metaphor, Thomas. Way to go, buddy. Two bass, [music] then a shark. Now, you don't make a
shark, right? [music] You make really good bait to get that shark. The bait is the demo. The bait is the prototype. [music] The bait is the pitch deck. But this is my pitch deck. You have your trailer. You have your plot summary. You have some cool screenshots, right? You have an introdu introductory video. [music] You have who you are. You have your gameplay. You have the hook. You just sort of give an outline. Why should a publisher give you half a million dollars? I don't want you pitching a thing until you've caught a couple fish first. [music] And what that means is it means that you've released some crappy games. Okay? It's sort of your Well, I mean, it's your it's like your boot camp. All right. I had to go through it. I had to release crappy games before I did this one. I had crappy games that I had released before I did this [music] one. I mean, can you imagine trying to sign a deal with Apple Arcade or make a Nintendo Switch game and not know what you're doing? That
said, you can go full-time with just a demo. Okay. All right, guys.
Summary
Transitioning into a full-time career as an independent game developer requires a calculated, risk-averse approach rather than impulsive career changes. The primary thesis emphasizes that financial stability and practical experience are prerequisites for success. Aspiring developers should avoid quitting their jobs without a substantial financial safety net, ideally consisting of six to twelve months of living expenses. This capital serves as a buffer that transforms a high-risk gamble into a manageable business venture, allowing for the necessary time to develop professional skills without the immediate pressure of survival.
The development process should follow a structured progression, starting with the creation of smaller, lower-stakes projects. Before attempting to secure major funding or pursue a flagship title, developers are encouraged to release several smaller, less polished games. This phase functions as a necessary boot camp, providing the technical proficiency and design experience required to build a high-quality, hyper-polished prototype. Such a prototype is essential for securing external investment, as it serves as the primary evidence of competence when pitching to publishers or crowdfunding platforms.
Effective preparation for professional game development involves mastering the art of the pitch. Once a developer has gained experience through smaller releases, they can leverage a polished demo, a compelling trailer, and a professional pitch deck to attract funding. By focusing on building a track record of completed projects first, developers significantly increase their credibility and their chances of securing the financial backing necessary for larger-scale productions. Ultimately, the path to full-time development is built on a foundation of incremental progress, financial prudence, and the iterative refinement of one's craft.
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