You find a lot of very different people in the gamedev world.
The 13 year old teenager who wants to make his first game to play with his friends.
The 22 year old art major student working 24/7 trying to break into the industry.
The 45 year old father of three who’s tinkering on a game engine on the weekends.
It’s a really fascinating and diverse field.
But all of these people have different goals. And sometimes they clash with each other.
For example, you sometimes see reddit threads that ask: “How much time should I spend on marketing my game?”
If you’re a hobbyist, the answer is pretty obvious.
Since you’re not looking to have your game seen and played by enough people to make it a viable business venture…
..you can just ignore marketing completely.
If you’re trying to make a living off your games though, it’ll be more like 50% marketing / 50% development.
Likewise, the answer to questions like “Should I get a publisher?” or “Should my first game be my dream game?” entirely depend on your goals.
This is the 49th weekly email I’ve sent you. And some of you have been here since the beginning.
Which means you might have been doing this gamedev thing for (at least) a year now.
It’s good to reflect on your goals once in a while.
To know if what you’re currently doing is in the right direction…
…or if you’ve gotten distracted and veered off your own personal path.
Do you make games to share your creative vision with the world?
Are you trying to make it as a full time indie?
Maybe you’re looking to put together a big team and create your own studio?
Is it just an interesting hobby that provides you with fulfillment and skills?
There is no wrong answer here.
Personally, I do it for a few reasons:
- It allows me to express my creativity in a way that I couldn’t while working as a web developer.
- To be my own boss and work on the projects I want to work on.
- To meet cool like-minded people.
- To learn a ton of new skills.
- Because I find it fun.
But I’m curious.
Why do YOU make games?
Or, if you haven’t started yet… why are you interested in doing so? (assuming you are)
You can reply to this email directly.
Best,
Thomas