The Benefits of Getting into Game Development at Any Age

Game Development is a career that has been around forever, but recently it has started to grow and become more popular. As a function, game development has been around since humanity had time to burn, so literally forever. Today, most of what we would call game development takes place in the realm of computer and console games. Still, you have to remember that chess, checkers, and go came from somewhere. We’re going to explore whether or not it can ever be too late for game development.

Game Development is not just for kids, or even young adults anymore, as people of all ages are getting into it. This industry has been around for a long time and there are many different types of jobs in game development for people of all ages to choose from. Further, you may not even be looking to change careers. Game development can be as cathartic as painting a picture, and even if you never share what you’re working on, it’s quite likely that you’ll find it extremely fulfilling to build your own little world.

Is There A Need? Isn’t the Market Already Saturated?

There are many factors that have led to the growth of video games and gaming culture. One of them is the development of new technologies and tools, such as Unity 3D and the Unreal Engine, which have made it possible for game developers to create immersive worlds in a shorter amount of time. Requiring less and less technical knowledge, these tools that are now in the hands of the hobbyist power the most technically impressive games on the planet. Sure it doesn’t mean that everyone can make a AAA quality game, but it does mean that everyone has the tools to create something impressive.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people who play video games. This can be attributed to the rise in popularity of social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Twitter. This popularity is also due to the fact that more people are able to play these games on their mobile devices due to improvements in technology.

The market for video games is not saturated because there are new innovations coming out all the time that make it possible for gamers to experience more immersive worlds than ever before. A game doesn’t need to be overly complex, and in fact the vast majority of people prefer very simple games. Think Wordle, Fruit Ninja, or Angry Birds. As games get more and more complicated there are seemingly fewer people interested, but as there are so many people playing games I doubt you will ever run out of an audience.

Where to Start When Learning How to Develop Games?

There are many options for beginners to learn how to develop games. One of the most popular ones is Unity 3D. It is an intuitive and user-friendly game engine that can be used to create 2D and 3D games.

Another option is Unreal Engine, which is a powerful game engine that has been used by AAA studios since 1998. It has been used in the development of popular games like Fortnite, Overwatch, and Gears of War 4.

A third option for beginners would be Godot Engine, which was created by a team of volunteers from all around the world and it’s free to use under a very generous open source licence and once you make your game you own it, forever. I should think if you end up making any money from your project it might be good to kick some back to the development team to cover costs, but it is absolutely not necessary.

The Godot Engine is a labour of love, and it’s beautiful for that. Considering it’s completely open source, and discussed alongside the licensed Unity and Unreal engines, you know it’s a force to be reckoned with.

How Much Does It Cost To Start Game Development And Which Tools Should You Use?

Game development is a complex and expensive process. It can require a lot of time and money to create one game. That’s why there are many tools available that can help you get started with game development.

Unity 3D, Unreal Engine and Godot are some of the most popular game development tools used by indie developers. They range in price from free – which is absolutely incredible – to hundreds if not thousands of dollars if you purchase all your assets. This price range makes them perfect for beginners who are just starting out in this field with any amount of resources to put in. Remember, even if you learn one skill a week, and put an hour in at a time, eventually, you’ll wake up and have your game today.

The Best Advice for Quitting Your Job and Starting Game Design At Any Age

Today we talked about how to start in game design at any age. We looked at how people of any age can get into game development, and quite honestly I don’t think there is anyone who really shouldn’t. It is never too late for game development, and people of all ages can pursue it.

The best advice is don’t start by quitting your job and sitting yourself in front of a computer to start banging out a game. Becoming successful in game development takes time and energy. You’ll have a huge list of skills to develop, and often it can take a few games to get noticed. You can’t let this discourage you though, and if your goal is to become a financially successful game developer, stick to it. If you have the time, spend it developing skills to build the pieces you need for your game. If you have weaknesses in any areas, check out the assets available for the engine you’ve chosen, for example see these great assets for Unity 3D! (Affiliate Link)

 

Your first game, or even your second and third games will likely not be absolute blockbusters. Eventually though, when you’ve honed your craft and learned the intricacies of your audience, your success may surprise you. For help getting started, check out my blog at Your Game Today.

Happy Game Dev!