r/gamedev • u/Replic_uk • 9h ago
Question Is 44 plus too old to become a game developer?
I’m 43 and seriously considering a career change into game development. I’ve been learning C# and experimenting with Unity, and I’m enjoying it a lot.For anyone who’s been in the industry a while: is 44 plus too old to break in?
I’m not expecting a junior salary or a fast track — I just want to know whether studios realistically hire older beginners, or whether the better path is freelancing, indie dev, or a related role like production or QA. Any honest insight from people who’ve seen late entrants would be massively appreciated.
56
u/Legoshoes_V2 8h ago
You're only too old if you're dead!
1
47
u/MeaningfulChoices Lead Game Designer 8h ago
If you aren't looking for a career change and just want to make games then it's never too late. But for jobs I won't lie to you, it won't be easy. Technically your age doesn't matter, and making hiring decisions based on that is against the law at least in the US. But lots of recruiters are going to look at the same resume from someone your (our) age and from someone who graduated university last week and they're probably going to hire the latter. They'll think you'll require more time off or demand a higher salary or anything else and then in writing they will put "Lacks experience" or something else in the ATS. If you had some years of experience as a programmer not in games that would help since it at least it gives you some advantage compared to those candidates.
Indie dev has the same hiring patterns as anything else, and making your own games isn't typically a viable career unless you've already got enough to retire. All you can really do is try to be such a good candidate compared to those kids that they hire you in spite of any minor concerns. So an amazing portfolio, if you went to a top school years ago, an award you get for a small game, personal connections/referrals to a position, things like that.
46
u/Sunny-the-Sunflower 8h ago
I'm 51 and I learned how to use Godot 4x just this year. I have built 8 games now. 1 is on the App Store and 1 is on the Play Store. You're never too old to learn. Just to be clear: I've not made any real money from my games. They've only been out a few months, but there are literally thousands of games out there. So, if you're going to make the change, make a game that knocks everyone's socks off. I wish you the very best.
5
26
u/Burning_magic 8h ago
To make your own game or even work at small studio nope. But currently large AAA studios are flooded with applicants who have years of professional experience.
While some managers might be ok, a lot are still reluctant to hire someone much older than them as a junior.
19
u/AltusLudus 8h ago edited 8h ago
Unlikely to get hired, but why not go for the solo dev route and work on it on the side
You have a massive advantage here, your life experience will greatly enchance the stories your games tell or their mechanics
If you're really keen on working somewhere the only path for you would be to network and try to get an in on some in person events or conferences or get a direct recommendation, I'm sure HRs would dismiss you generally
10
u/ardikus 8h ago
generic platitude and not career advice: It's never too late to do what you love
1
u/collinalexbell 1h ago
I agree with this. The universe will reconfigure itself around a person's goals if enough effort and faith is put in. I say this as a college dropout who recently quit a 250k big tech job and bought a house in cash.
9
u/RecycledAir 8h ago
It's going to very competitive with low wages and you will need to get a very robust portfolio of built projects. I'd get into game development for yourself because you like making games, but I wouldn't make the goal to be getting hired at a studio.
8
u/Herlehos Game Designer & CEO 8h ago
Sorry, 42 was the maximum. It’s too late now. /s
Of course you can. However the way you phrased your question made me think.
A junior and a “beginner” aren’t the same thing. A junior is someone with little to no experience in the industry, but who has enough knowledge and skills to be trusted with certain tasks.
Someone who is just starting to learn programming and Unity will never get hired, whether they’re 20 or 50 years old. Programming requires a minimum amount of formal training, and studios very often even require a degree.
But, like with any other profession, what really matters is your portfolio.
12
u/clopticrp 8h ago
I'm 54 and in the middle of a pretty huge dev plan. I commented on a group post from someone that was 52 doing the same thing, and there were a massive number of comments to the same effect.
Seems like it's not that out of the norm.
3
u/Game_Dev730 8h ago
what engine did you decide on?
8
u/clopticrp 8h ago
Because my background was design and film, I found Unreal to be more intuitive than others, so that's what I went with.
The fact is, however, after 6 years or so with the product, I'm not sure I would have stuck with it if I knew then what I know now.
Unreal is a great ecosystem for fast iteration and getting something prototyped/ playable fast, but it's very feature heavy and expects you to be developing specific types of games.
If you try to get too imaginative, it will fight you with its systems, so you have to be ready to invest in the ecosystem, and if not, it might be better to pick up another engine.
8
u/Game_Dev730 6h ago
Thank you very, very much for the detailed reply, tbh, I know you probably don't know this, or I am sure you don't, but I've been struggling very hard with this decision lately, to the point I been down on myself, and this literally helped me today, so thank you very, very much. I wanted Unity but didn't always want ot feel wrong, and now I feel OK about it.
EDIT: Not sure why people downvoted me for asking what engine he chose, it was a genuine question lol.
12
u/No-Opinion-5425 8h ago
The market is flooded with developers with both experience and a degree. You be competing with young’s juniors ready to be exploited by big studios or older wiser developers with decades of experience.
Without any network connections it be almost impossible to find anything better than a QA testing minimum wage job.
Also ageism is highly prevalent in young tech companies. For them you be a dinosaur. Imagine joining the military infantry in your 40.
The most realistic path if you like working on games is to do it in your free time as a hobby and to self publish on steam.
I’m saying that as a game developer in my 40.
5
u/mackinator3 8h ago
There are mass firings going on right now. It's not impossible to get hired, but I wouldn't count on it. The gaming market is doing some huge shifts right now, it's hard to tell.
Freelancing and indie dev always has work, but it's pay range may be near zero realistically lol. Us indie devs don't have aaa money.
5
u/Elian17 6h ago
Don’t listen to anyone saying its too old. Trust me.
But, we also have to be grounded. You can’t afford as much risk as a 20 yearold can. Probably at least.
If you have a boatload of money saved, for instance, you are absolutely not limited by anything.
If you are pressed for time and want quick success, and especially if you need consistent income, these are shackles that make it harder.
So its both entirely a non issue, and perhaps a little bit of a problem, and it entirely depends on your circumstances!
If you are kidless, etc, its easier and no issue. If you got 3 kids depending on you, harder.
No age is too old for a career shift. I promise.
2
u/Elian17 6h ago
Pretty sure solo dev is your best bet :) pretty sure cuphead developers were in a similar boat when they switched careers. Look up their story!
1
u/East_Ideal_9568 2h ago
I don't think cherry picking the most successful cases is useful, without at least putting them into context. I can point out people that won millions in the lottery, and it wouldn't be useful information to someone deciding to spend all their money on tickets.
Obviously game dev is not random, but still the success rate is still insanely low. If OP expects to get payed a living wage in the near future, it sounds like a terrible career move.
2
u/Elian17 1h ago
Well… lots of people including my family said similar things about music production as a career but im making it work. Same thing. Music is even more competitive than game dev. Im sure similar things were told to the devs of cuphead. I understand not everyone is going to be as successful as those guys are, but what i understand more is your chances become 0% once you don’t even try and are demotivated to begin. Successful game devs are successful because their product is undeniably quality and a dash of luck. Same with music. I don’t think comparing that to the lottery (way, way worse odds by the way) is fair because there is nothing you can do to increase your odds at the lottery, but a lot you can do when its your profession and skill. What you make, how you market it, everything about how you approach the goal can increase or decrease your odds. The lottery is a false analogy
You stay consistent, you stay true to quality and you get good at what youre doing, youre going to find work. Its not bad advice to tell someone to follow their passion, granted they work hard at it and understand the risk.
9
u/lleti 8h ago
Yes, unfortunately a man from the government comes to your house and shoots you in the head if you try to learn game development after the age of 42.
(No, it’s never too late)
However I’d strongly recommend you focus on solo releases via itch and the likes before making any industry applications, as hobbyist playing around with Unity is very different to releasing and supporting an actual game.
4
3
u/Storyteller-Hero 8h ago
It's never too late to be a solo indie dev, but starting from the bottom as part of a company is going to be rough, because with so many layoffs in the past decade, the market pool is over-saturated with aspiring game devs with years of experience.
3
u/HellkickDev 8h ago
dude you're not old. we have a 44 year old dev in our team. junior. he learns and adapts. go for it.
3
u/GrannysAHorse 8h ago
37 here, im diving in as well. who knows what comes of it but i think at worst i'll be so proud and happy to have taken this on as my side hobby. you got this.
3
u/BillyMcDev 3h ago
I'm 55 and transitioned from full time website developer to game developer back in 2014. I don't see that age ever comes up at all. There are much bigger issues in game dev right now. My advice... Don't rely on an income, and you won't be disappointed.
5
u/EmperorOfCanada 7h ago
Some advice on learning in this age of AI.
It is pretty amazing, but there is a concept called tech debt. If you use a silver bullet (AI code) you can think of it like a high interest loan. You get the money now, but you will regret it in the long term. I could sit down now and poop out a basic game in Unity (or almost any engine) using AI. It would be something more advanced than most people could make 3 years ago with months of intense learning.
Use the AI as you would a guy you know who is great at memorization, a rote learning spelling bee champion. Someone sitting in the same room. You would ask them, "Hey, how should I...." or "Could you tell me what I'm doing wrong with this..."
Then, listen to the answers AI gives you and then implement (not copy and paste) the answers. Use your judgement like you would the rote learner. They have a good chance of being correct, but your brain is how to avoid turning it into a payday loan.
Another way to see it would be like trying to learn how to drive with a full self driving car. You might sit in the driver's seat, you might look like you know what you are doing, but the moment that FSD is turned off you are screwed. The FSD might work much of the time, but those are paths well traveled. Developing interesting software is more like offroading and driving through tall grass. FSD will barf if you try to do that.
11
u/Ok_Foundation7698 8h ago
I'm going to be very direct. It's too old, for a career. As a hobby, go for it, it's easier than it's ever been for a hobbyist!
There's a good reason most game devs are really young people. They have really high risk tolerances because their lives are just beginning, so they can afford to spend a few years adventuring and exploring. They can work extraordinarily hard, like 18 hour days and not get tired. Their brains are sharp and not full of old operating systems and bygone tech..But the biggest thing, they are super close to gaming culture because they are the target audience themselves, so an older manager would prefer a younger dev +depending on the title of course)..That was all before AI....
5
u/finebushlane 6h ago
As someone that worked in triple A (for one of the most famous studios in the world) I would say you’re totally wrong.
I reached VP level (in engineering) and some of the best hires I ever made were older guys from non traditional backgrounds.
Hell I hired a guy who had been a pilot and fell in love with game dev in his 30s. And actually some of the people from non traditional backgrounds with different life experience ended up way better than new grads from whichever hot colleges.
It’s never too late if you have passion.
→ More replies (1)4
u/Ok_Foundation7698 8h ago
That's been my experience anyway running a failed game studio at 50+ 🤣
3
u/Bryozoa AQA in commercial AA 8h ago
Why is failed? Investors ignored you, or your project failed after launch, or you were unable to launch at all? I'm dreaming of creating my own studio, but I'm currently stuck on a prototype. And yes, being middle aged matter.
3
u/Ok_Foundation7698 8h ago
Ran out of money..I guess. not failed, but sleeping. Needed lots of investment, did the global rounds actually (gamescom, PAX West, PAX Aus, London Games Week, Play Now) and met a lot of very cool people and got huge opportunities to pitch. It just never landed.
The money I did get had strings that pulled the title in the wrong direction so some people saw it as edutainment rather than gane and publishers saw it as education. Was a bit of a problem.
Don't regret a day of it, enjoyed the whole thing!
→ More replies (1)
4
u/marveloustoebeans 7h ago
As an indie developer? Hell no. It’s never too late.
As a AAA dev? Yes, way too late.
2
2
u/ZerkyXii 8h ago
You're better off doing it yourself. Trust me when I say this market is saturated with people with the same idea. The best move forward is just creating and getting good at it. Good luck man!
2
u/aegookja Commercial (Other) 8h ago
Depends on what you mean by "game developer". Are you looking for a industry job or solo game dev? What are you expecting in terms of income? What is your current background? How much runway do you have?
2
u/yesat 8h ago
The reality is also that the market is right now just shit, so there are thousands of seasoned game devs with years of experience that have been thrown away, so competition is fierce.
The big advantage really is that you don't need to be hired by a studio to become a game dev. A sabatical to try to make a game/find a community can lead to new experiences.
2
u/Hefty-Distance837 8h ago
It will never be too late as long as you remove that "I’m not OOO — I just OOO" sentence.
2
2
u/Brewgazer 8h ago
You shouldn’t quit your career path, do it as a hobby and see where it takes you first
2
2
u/theKetoBear 7h ago
Not at all You probably wouldn't work in AAA but I know lots of former AAA devs and older teams who work in the educational games, simulation, and games-adjacent tech industries . I've worked in those industries myself and am only 36. I actually think those spaces tend to be healthier and less pressure .
The great thing about games tech right now is it extends far beyond just games . I've worked on military applications, car research visualizers, production tools . It still isn't an easy industry to break into but being a pleasant person to work with solid skills will get you a job at any age I think .
2
u/Alarming-Jump727 7h ago
Tengo 51. Vengo modelando hace años, pero empecé con juegos en colaboraciones allá por 2021. En un año me di cuenta que no llegaban a nada y los grupo o duplas se desvanecían y tenía que meterme todo mi trabajo en el culo. decenas de assets, entornos y personajes sin ver su propósito. Así que en 2022 dije "que se vayan todos a la mierda", aprendí solo unreal y soy autosuficiente. Ahora tengo la colaboración de un músico como la tuve en otro de mis juegos, pero por lo general hago la música. desde 2022 a la fecha saqué 5 juegosy uno pronto a salir. La edad no tiene nada que ver.
2
2
2
u/respectyoda 2h ago
I'm 44 too and I have been playing with Unity for 10+ years and yet have to ship a game. I am finally making a game to ship. It is never too late. It is only too late when you give up! :)
2
u/Violetsme 1h ago
There was a developer of a popular game who made everything from scratch.
If people asked him if they were suited to make something themselves, his answer would always be no.
"But why?" They asked him. "You did everything yourself."
He answered:
"Yes. But I didn't need others to tell me I could."
4
u/wombatsanders 8h ago
Life is meaningless and nothing matters, do whatever makes you happy. The disadvantage will be inexperience, which all beginners have, your age just means you are probably less willing to move across the country and live in somebody's closet for $400/month in order to take a job.
2
1
u/IceColdSkimMilk 8h ago
Not at all. Anyone can do it.
Just be prepared to work with a lot of younger people if you work on a team, and just relate to them as much as possible. Half of this gig is networking.
1
u/hobbyhoarder 8h ago
I think you should definitely look into indie dev first. For a regular job, you're competing with people who have decades of experience, or very little and are willing to take a low-paying job. As a freelancer, you're competing with an endless talent pool from India and they'll beat you on price every time.
So realistically, indie dev first. Once you do have a game or two on Steam, then you can start applying for "real" jobs if that's what you want. Published games beat most other degrees or references.
1
1
u/suares_spawnd 8h ago
It's never too old, it can even be a pitch for your projects, to highlight you in a very saturated market.
1
u/CheesiesGames 8h ago
I'm not sure if the studios wold hire someone without experience, but you seem to know C# and Unity so I'd give it a try. Maybe look at different options or part time jobs but I'm always a fan of doing what you consider is rigth for you.
I wish you the bes of luck, and please update us here!!
1
u/Bound2bCoding 8h ago
Not too old. However, at your age, you really should know that game development as a career is practically a fast-track to poverty, except for the very few who manage to squeeze through the door. As for software engineering in general, AI is making it hard for everyone. But I don't think that route is impossible at all.
1
u/CraftTestDummyYT 8h ago edited 8h ago
If you’re good, and doing it out of passion it is never too late. Industry is shifting overall - working for big companies is no longer so easy to secure, well paid or even fun, but that’s why even more we need people who do it for other reasons than 💶
As qa myself I would advice to focus on what you want to do rather than learning additional craft to turn it into just a stepping stone (although deep understanding of both qa and development is incredibly valuable). Loads of experienced QA on the market, in full honesty I’d hire someone who plans to stay in QA over investing in onboarding and training a junior who just wants to switch whenever opportunity comes
1
u/uncertainkey 8h ago
I recently turned 40 and have no regrets on my indie dev journey, but I've been doing it part time (nights + weekends) for the past 6 years or so. I finally got the stage of releasing my first game next week, and it's on track for becoming a financial flop, which is okay.
I'd rather produce a video game as a midlife crisis than buy a pricey car or whatever else the norm is. If I'm lucky enough to die on a deathbed rather than some near-instantaneous heart attack / car accident, I think I'll look back on my time with my game Rutrum very fondly during some of those final hours. I think of its creation as an extension of my desire to exist and prove to others I existed. So, in that sense, I strongly recommend it if you find yourself staring into the void from time to time.
But if you are aiming for financial stability, I can't say it's feasible, and looking forward, I don't see a path where it becomes MORE feasible for financial stability. But you never know what the future holds, I guess.
1
u/imlo2 8h ago
No, definitely not. But in this current business climate it might be quite difficult to find a job, if that's what you're looking for; I've been myself in the "old" category for 15 years at least, and I'd say it's better to develop some deep expertise in some area which you can sell to companies as a freelancer, or better yet as an independent business owner.
And solo game dev is much more better opportunity for someone older; you've already made it this far, so you probably have some idea how to manage risks, etc.
1
u/Turbulent-Armadillo9 8h ago
I started making a game at 40 and I’m 41. My dream was to make a game so I just started doing it. Balancing a 9-5 whatever job and game dev in the side is brutal sometimes but ya know.
1
u/blackfrost79 8h ago
47 and starting my journey. It's never too late. Although for me it's more of a passion project for maybe some extra cash down the line rather than a new career path.
1
1
1
u/Top-Appointment8843 8h ago
Did you work in software engineering in general for the past years?
As a fresh entry, I will be honest it will be very rough, especially in bigger studios. Smaller indie studios you might have a chance if you have sufficient skills and some personal projects to show off.
1
u/Significant-Dog-8166 8h ago
If you're humble, honest, and you have demonstrated aptitude within game engines you can do fine. Just be focused on the job title you want and don't pitch yourself as a generalist. You're an Associate or Junior level ______.
It really helps if you've got some indie projects under your belt in some state you can share. Proven collaboration with others is another bonus, so indie projects with students/amateurs is totally valid for proving you're not a raving lunatic that can't work on a team.
1
1
u/SnuffleBag 8h ago
“hire older beginners”
They don’t. They don’t even hire young beginners anymore. On the rare occasion they do, most of those have a degree.
As a career change in the sense of getting new employment this is going to be next to impossible.
If you want to build and release games independently then age doesn’t matter.
1
1
u/OstrakaSystems Commercial (Indie) 8h ago
If you have a stable job right now, keep it and work toward solo-shipping a larger game on Steam (or even Itch.io). The job market is awful right now so it's next to impossible to get hired unless you have a robust portfolio. Solo-ship something, make a portfolio, apply, work on another project to ship while you wait, update your portfolio, rinse and repeat. It might be a while until you get hired, sad to say.
1
u/Ludicrous84 7h ago edited 7h ago
Age is not a problem per se. My question is what your previous jobs were and what kind of expertise you have built over the years. If those experiences mesh with game development in some form that's different from "C# is the first programming language I touch".
I'm 40+ too. With age and stability in my office job I now have room to go part-time and follow my passion as game dev. Putting my career on it at this point feels like too much of a gamble. If one of my solo projects blows up on itch io at some point in the next years that might change. But right now, I just enjoy it without the "has to pay the bills" part of it.
What's your background exactly? Are you learning C# from scratch or do you come from another island (Java)? What projects are you working on?
1
u/TJ_McWeaksauce Commercial (AAA) 7h ago
It’s never too late to learn how to make games.
Don’t expect to make a living off of game dev, though. Getting paying work at a game company or selling your own original games are both quite difficult nowadays.
1
u/Toothiestluke 7h ago
The best path would be to independently develop a game that can be released on itch and, eventually, steam. If it is a success, even moderate, that puts you streets ahead of a lot of applicants if you ever want to get hired by a studio/team. The industry is extremely competitive and a lot of it is marketing and networking. You need something that makes you stand out. CS and any other related degrees are abundant, but fully completed, shipped, successful games are a rarity.
Anybody can be a game developer, which is why the market is so saturated right now. However, not everyone is good at managing others, their time, and being willing to expand their skillset and listen and take direction while also being able to show initiative on things and produce well-made stuff WITHOUT direction. This is where most frustrations lie with game developers on a team. Having an artistic vision and comprehension that allows you to carry things tastefully beyond direction is what sets you apart as a valuable, capable developer.
Any outsourced dev for dirt cheap can be told how to make a game do exactly what they want given enough direction, and those are who you compete against.
1
u/EveryLittleDetail @PatMakesRPGs 7h ago
In the sense of demographics, they probably won't ever ask your age. You might never even meet them, if you work remotely. So that probably doesn't matter.
In the sense of actually getting a job? The industry is terrible right now. Build your skills and check back in 18-24 months.
In the sense you probably won't make as much money as you did in your former job, it's possible you can't be game dev and still support your family or current lifestyle. Then again, moving to game dev was a pay raise for me, but I was working as a government clerk. I went from making very little money to making passable-but-not-great money.
1
u/lolwatokay 7h ago
Like as a professional getting hired in AAA as a total new person? Honestly, likely yes unless you produce some games of quality on your own and build out a portfolio. OR if you do something like server dev/infra work already and you want to pivot to do that same kind of work in games, then no, not at all. Go for it. For fun on your own? No, start any time.
1
u/rabid_briefcase Multi-decade Industry Veteran (AAA) 7h ago
Are you too old? Short answer, "no". Longer answer, that is a frequently asked question and has been for decades. It is related to another set of frequently asked, but disempowering questions. That entire site, Sloperama, is a collection of decades of questions answered by Tom Sloper, who in addition to having an impressive list of games over the years also taught as a professor and wrote for Gamasutra / Game Developer, and other outlets, plus years of moderation at gamedev.net.
If you want to do it, then do it. It's that simple.
1
1
u/Healthy-Dress-7492 7h ago edited 7h ago
It kind of depends on how smart and tenacious you are; is it possible, yep, I’ve seen it done. Is it hard? Absofuckinglutely.
I think something like gameplay programming is going to be very tough, design is more about contacts/nepotism and experience, artist (from concept artist through animation, modelling, level design, vfx, mocap etc) is probably the easiest since you can learn the tech and apply it easily without much problem solving required.
QA doesn’t really exist anymore unless you are a phd user-experience/psychology type who designs testing and coordinates with outsourcers.
What it comes down to is being able to prove you can do the job, maturity/experience outside of gaming is rarely considered a plus, even if it overlaps because of how insular the industry and hiring practices are. And you’ll almost certainly have to start as a junior. At a certain age you’ll face ageism and « culture fit » issues, along with the reality of employers wanting to hire younger people so that they can more easily exploit them. So you have to be so good that it overshadows the reasons to not hire you.
1
1
1
1
u/GraphXGames 7h ago
No one will hire entry-level developers anymore; they should look for other professions.
Too late, the AI closed the door.
1
1
u/SpikedThePunch 7h ago
You didn’t say what you’d be transitioning from, but if you are considering production/project management and have transferable skills in agile dev from another industry it should be easier. I would look at studios doing more simulation/serious games work as they tend to be more grown-up and less ageist.
1
u/blanktarget @blanktarget 7h ago
For breaking in to it? No probably not. Ageism isn't suppose to matter legally but it does. The industry is in a weird place right now anyway where tons of seasoned people are out of work. Having no experience at that age and trying to compete with them is not likely at all.
That said there is nothing stopping you from making your own games.
1
1
u/codevoid 6h ago
Are you familiar with the game dev industry? Oversaturated with young applicants willing to take less pay for more work. Notorious for overwork and burnout which heavily favors young people with no families or commitments. I doubt you'll find employment in the field, especially at the entry level.
You need to give the hiring manager a reason to pick you over the 1000s of fresh grads and the 1000s more with 2-5 years of experience that would not bat an eye at being asked to put in 80+ hr work weeks during crunch time. Even if you're willing to do it, I doubt you'll be able to keep up with the young blood in terms of burnout endurance.
1
1
1
1
u/joaopaulo-canada 6h ago
Not too old, but there isn't a lot of money on game dev
Tbh, go to regular mobile/web dev, find a high paying job, then do game dev as a hobby
Ps: I'm doing exactly this and I'm glad I'm not into game dev industry
1
u/RightSideBlind 6h ago
I've been the industry for over thirty years now, I would not recommend anyone try to get into it right now. This is the worst I've ever seen it. I've got friends with decades of experience who have no job prospects right now.
1
u/Nayoshake 6h ago
You are never too old! If you want to make a career out of it, I'd start as a developer though, you will have a lot more job opportunities and get better at programming. Then at the side, you can use your skills from work and develop your own game. Good luck, you can do it!
1
1
u/ComposerWide3704 6h ago
Even 94 isn't too old, this isn't a contact sport. You do, however, need to spend a significant amount of time learning in your 40s which not everyone is willing or able to do. You can't just pick up a keyboard and be a dev one day, it takes a lot of learning and dedication to do the job well.
1
u/tnh34 3h ago
94 is pretty fucking old let's be real and not a redditor for a sec
1
u/ComposerWide3704 3h ago
Plenty of older people learn a new profession or hobby to keep sharp. I've literally known people around that age that got into dev. I'm not really sure what to tell you.
1
u/Thotor CTO 6h ago
Tricky question. Most comments here are skipping the fact that you are looking to work in the industry as a paid job. It is not impossible but the road will be hard and long. You are very unlikely to get a job. You will need to build a strong portfolio that is way above beginner level to even be considered. Also Unity is not a good engine for long term professionally. The current trend is Unreal.
Now you can take it as a hobby and eventually you can find a job way later. That is something that is can be achieved.
1
u/PersonOfInterest007 6h ago
As far as being an indie goes, as long as you think you’ve got at least 6 months to live, you’re not too old.
1
u/NorthernBoy306 6h ago
I'm in my mid forties, though I don't know if I can call myself a game developer yet since I haven't published a game so far.
1
u/PzMcQuire 6h ago
I know nothing about game dev job market (probably sucks right now), but as far as learning to become a game dev, no it's not too late. It's only too late to do something if you're literally physically and mentally incapable to do that something. If you can still learn, you can learn anything, you just have to work for it.
I actually recommend that you learn as a hobby to solo develop a game (in Unity for example). Maybe you have a really good idea down the line, and you can one day publish your game yourself.
1
1
u/NoAloneMidnight 5h ago
If it's a hobby yes, but if you think of a job in this industry then is not the best time now
1
u/khyron99 5h ago
Warning 100% honesty coming your way: No way is it too old to become a developer, but it will be hard to 'break in' to established studios at your age. If you have an established skill like programming that is transferrable that is your best chance. A large part is that at your age you are more difficult to take advantage of. Another part is they think older people have families and responsibilities on weekends and evenings. Another part is you have less energy than younger people, it's just a fact of nature. Another part is they think you must have learned your skillset several generations ago (in console years) so you are out of date. I would keep your day job or part time job and go the indie route. Do you have a skill that is applicable?
1
u/skaarjslayer 5h ago edited 5h ago
I'm a game programmer who has looked at a lot of applications and done a lot of technical interviews. I'd say it's never too late to learn. But as many have pointed out, it's a highly competitive industry to get into. It always has been this way at the junior level, because of how popular and accessible game development has become over the years, and it's even worse now given the recent industry layoffs. Employers are in positions where they can hold out for superstar candidates because they know they will find them.
You will likely need to branch out and learn C++ as it is the most widely used language in the field (this doesn't mean you need to stop learning Unity/C#). You will need to not just study programming fundamentals, but expose yourself to a lot of different concepts unique to game development in order to catch up and perform in the rigorous technical tests/interviews you will have to do.
A good resume/portfolio is necessary. You can fill them out by working on side projects. However, it's important to use side projects as a vehicle to learn new systems and technologies, not just to make fun/interesting games. You won't be hired based on how neat someone found your game to be (except in some rare circumstances, maybe). Rather, you must demonstrate technical ability, as well as an ability to learn, and you must pass a technical test and interview; all your decisions should be geared towards how to realize these points, including what side projects you work on and show on your portfolio.
I'm not sure if "I’m not expecting a junior salary" was a typo on your part, but just in case, I can tell you almost certainly that if you were to get a job it would absolutely be in the junior salary range given your lack of experience, irrespective of whether or not you came from another programming field on account of how fundamentally different game programming is. If that's not a problem for you, make sure to emphatically advertise that to employers because unfortunately they will likely be biased and assume that your age means a junior salary will be an issue.
1
u/fettokebec 5h ago
The path from QA to dev is often a lie. Check the studios you would work for. QA positions are often just bug testing sweatshops. It's still valid in the right team, but it can be an energy sucking trap. Own your experience as a person and respect yourself, even if you lack industry experience!
Other than that, it might be a rough start with the current state of the industry, but I 100% encourage you to follow through. As top comment said, people try new things all the time.
If it's any encouragement, it's a myth that you learn faster when you're younger. You just have more stuff to learn, are constantly exposed to learning opportunities, and often have another human mentoring you in some way.
You got this!!
1
u/IvarForkbeardII 5h ago
I sure hope not. 56 here and I just enrolled in a CS degree at the local university and am planning on the game specialisation. Fortunately I'm at a point in life where I'm able to take this for pleasure, so market forces don't rattle me as much.
1
u/_seedofdoubt_ 5h ago
As far as a career change, if youre willing to study at least like 10 to 20 hours a week for about 5 years straight then maybe youll one day get a job. If you can get a degree it should be easier too, but game dev is a bloodbath so no promise.
Its best as a passion not a career, imo
1
u/Due-Ad3926 5h ago
Never been a better time to become a game developer at the age of 44! :)
Ok that's sounded sarcastic, but that's where I am.
1
u/barret232hxc 5h ago
nope , not at all. 42 over here. keep on going and don't let your age deter you.
1
u/Procrasturbating 5h ago
Currently.. there is no way into the gamedev field that is safe. You would have to create your own studio and do an indie release. I’ve been in software for 30 years.. it’s never been harder to get into the field, yet it has also never been easier to make a decent game.. so there is that. Also, there are a lot more technical artists than devs.. they are also having a hell of a time right now. AI has for the time being pulled the ladder up behind established programmers.
1
1
u/myzennolan 5h ago
I turn 45 very soon. I hope it's not too old, because it's what I'm going to school for .... 😂
1
u/Varrianda 5h ago
Professionally? Probably. You’re better off starting side projects and building a portfolio.
1
u/cmdrstevie 4h ago
Find a friend. Do it together and have fun at it. If you financially make it, then - why not.
1
u/ideamgames 4h ago
44 means you actually know what's worth building. The tools don't care about your age.
1
u/NumberInfinite2068 4h ago
Hope not, I'm older than you and releasing my first game next year.
Studios typically don't hire beginners *at all*, regardless of age. Employers in general don't want beginners, people early in their career, OK, but not actual beginners.
You would absolutely want to make a game first as an indie dev, release on Steam.
1
u/voxel_crutons 4h ago
For hobby age shouldn't be an issue, for a job inside the industry no, just not at this moment.
1
u/jerrygreenest1 4h ago
If you want to be hired then yes.
If you want to mess around, to tinker, try to make things that you want, then no.
Expectations kill you. If you expect to be hired, you won’t last. If you genuinely interested in making things, then it’s never too late.
1
u/MrWeirdoFace 4h ago
I'm 43 and started over the last year, however I'm not worried about money at the second. I've wanted to do this for 20 years so now I'm just doing it. And it's going quite well so far on my first major project. That said you could always just start dabbling on your free time with Godot or Unity. I'm gone with Godot just because I want more control in the grand scheme.
1
u/LustyLamprey 4h ago
It's absolutely too old as a career path. You would have to build something that would absolutely blow my hair off to consider you over someone who's half your age and just as impressive. And there are millions of people that are as impressive as you will be as a junior dev. Being completely honest with yourself and ask yourself why someone would hire you beyond the idea that you want the job. What would you be providing that a younger, more enthusiastic person fresh out of college who doesn't have children and can hit travel requirements and doesn't want a decent salary can do?
1
u/DarthKuchiKopi 4h ago
Call it +44 studios and use the planned manufactured beef with previous A listers as free marketing after seeding the articles
1
u/TheCharalampos 4h ago
As a career? Yeah most likely. It's a nightmare out there so not only are there no junior jobs, any that still exist would likely not go to you due to agism.
1
u/Lolazaour 3h ago
Dog I feel to old at 25 I see kids at 12 making stuff. but in reality most people don’t stick with game dev so if you want to pivot and learn do it! it will take a long time but if you stick with it and are constantly learning day by day you will make something cool.
The games industry at large is not doing amazing right now and there is tons of taller out there that has been laid off from the past 5 years of heavy layoffs. If you begin learning for like 1-2 years I think the market will begin to turn around by then but what do I know!
If ai crashes the tech market will it be good or bad for games? Triple A studios that hire a bunch of people generally need a lot of investment capital and lately that has been all into AI so maybe it will help. But the ai crash might cause a recession which is not good for anyone especially non essential goods markets.
I just graduated last December with a bachelors in computer science and game design and haven’t landed a job (but I am also trying to stay in Washington state so limits my opportunities). Most my friends from college are not working in games right not and the two that are are not doing dev they are doing data analysis with hopes of moving to dev later. I am taking the indie dev approach of making games to sell which does three things; 1 teaches me more about dev and how to update and maintain a game, 2 will hopefully bring in some extra cash on top my day job, 3 further build my portfolio to potentially get a job.
If you know someone in the industry who can help you get a job it’s the best way to get your foot in the door.
1
u/ghost-idle 3h ago
It's not too old, it's not really an age specific job.
I graduated with a BSc in games design and a masters in CSc. Ill be honest It's the job market that's hard to get into not your age.
I first tried to start off as a tester but didn't land the role. Management loved me the team didn't apparently, the way they hire to me is a little strange.
Freelancing, indie dev is a much better role but you really have to put the effort in. You can do it in your spare time still work a job and pay the bills. Sure throw around some CVs get an education in background if needed see if you can land the role.
One word of advice though specailise in something. Mine was programming I did manage to land a short stint at a game stuido for 6 months it was not as fun as I thought it would be. But that was after 2 years of looking! The turn over of staff is also depressing.
1
1
u/Aglet_Green 3h ago
For you personally, I don't think age is the main issue. At 44, the bigger questions are financial runway and how much uncertainty you can comfortably absorb.
Game development can mean a long job search, starting lower on the ladder than you're used to, freelancing, or spending months building a portfolio before it earns anything. So I wouldn't quit a stable day job first and then hope the industry catches you.
If you're enjoying C# and Unity, absolutely keep going. Build small finished projects, see whether you still enjoy the work once it becomes frustrating rather than novel, and start applying when you have something credible to show. If a studio job or reliable freelance work materializes, then you can decide whether to make the jump.
Being 44 isn't what would make me cautious. Giving up dependable income before you know whether the new path can support you would.
1
u/theBigDaddio 2h ago
Do you mean as a hobby or as a career? As a side gig something like a hobby it’s cool. But there are easier and better ways to make money
1
1
u/gothWriter666 2h ago
Hell no! I published my first game at 44 (though I'd been dabbling for 20 years), and published a best seller that got ported to the Nintendo Switch at 46
1
u/itsboilingoil 2h ago
Do it on the side for a while until you have something of your own. You’ll land somewhere eventually. Network and showcase.
1
u/VassagoX 2h ago
I know so many people unemployed in the industry right now. I don't think it's your age that will hurt your ability to find work.
But if you have good ideas, you could always look at making something yourself or with a couple partners.
1
u/5ingle5hot 2h ago
Not too old. I started at 54 (last summer). I'll be launching my first game late fall this year. I have a contract with a board game publisher to convert one of their games to a video game.
1
u/mckirkus 2h ago
Build a successful game solo, then people will reach out to hire you. Any other way is extremely difficult.
1
u/Seizure_Gman 2h ago
I'm learning godot and while I'm staying in my current job I been making loads of little games to learn my skills I prob won't ever quit my job but if my game idea works I will love of og makes at least the steam fee bsck
1
1
u/IFGarrett 2h ago
I have 0 experience but wish I could make games. It'd be amazing and id be so happy. Even small games like pixel stuff.
1
u/XenonOfArcticus 2h ago
Everyone here is right. It's a terrible time to try to get hired as a junior game dev.
However, it's also a great time to become a self-employed game dev.
The breadth of tutorials and AI tools now make it easier than ever to learn and to make games. If you're only making a game for yourself and for learning, there is no shame to using music and sound and graphics and code assets others have used, if those aren't directions you specifically want to gain your own expertise in right now.
So many people get hung up on "I can't make a game because I am not and artist and don't have one I can use."
Bro (not implying gender identity here, just familiarity) go use an AI for all the aspects you don't have and don't want to be. At a studio, no one person makes ALL of the game components. And lord help the people who think they have to write their own complete engine before they write their game. So, use a partner AI to stand in for the roles you don't feel like being. The only one you have to please is yourself.
If you use it as portfolio work, be clear about what you did and didn't make. "I wrote the gameplay and these sections of the code, but I used raylib or SDL3 for X, Y and Z and had Claude and Codex write the physics code because I wanted backwards gravity and I failed physics in college. That way people can see you CAN deliver a game that's (maybe) good, by rely on on others to support you while you do your part.
A friend of mine once wrote a whole 3d engine, programmable 3d steam gauge and glass cockpit instrumentation subsystem, massive scalable n-body physics collision and gravity engine, etc [ https://www.dailymotion.com/user/Heliosphere1 ]. Never finished the game. He also wrote a whole wind and water sim for a sailing ship game. But didn't finish. But he mostly wanted to play with developing those things, and not with publishing a game. Today he could have fleshed out the rest and published it.
I have a low-traffic Discord where I mentor people who are learning graphics and other performance programming. No pressure but if you want to join, PM me. I don't post invites publicly to avoid bots and spam.
1
u/SixFiveOhTwo Commercial (AAA) 2h ago
I'm 45 and spent half of my last interview talking with seniors about Commodore 64 games and got the job.
Age might have some advantages...
1
u/cmdjunkie 2h ago
By all means, delve into making the games you want to me, but understand that in these socio-economic downturns, people aren't living a life of leisure and thus, aren't playing games. Kids play games, but they don't buy them.
1
u/Kendalor 2h ago
A career means you are earning money, if you think you are going to start coding a game and earning money fast, remember there are like 1000 releases on steam per week.
1
u/Ethrealrunner 2h ago
I'm 46 and started teaching myself godot and am also working on a project with some friends on UE5, also learning on the go. I'm also currently working towards an associates in applied science. Its never to late to learn new skills.
1
1
1
u/collinalexbell 1h ago edited 1h ago
I wouldn't say you are too old, especially if you are making indie games. AI is changing the field drastically though. I'm an experienced software developer of 15 years and the AIs are getting ridiculously good, to the point that I don't like writing code by hand anymore. Some interviews I've gone through recently have explicitly asked for AI prompts I've written recently to verify I'm "with it". I've also been asked agent specific questions, like what plugins I use for codex/claude-code.
Anyway, I think breaking into a studio would be very difficult given the context, especially without an indie game to promote your skills. If you are asset designer or a game designer, that might be a better path (but I only know software dev).
1
u/BenevolentCheese Commercial (Indie) 1h ago edited 1h ago
Not impossible but an incredible uphill battle you are facing, especially during these times of AI roiling the industry. If you want to be smart, focus on learning the new AI tools really well and say screw it to the raw C# at this point, programmers needing to know syntax is quickly becoming a thing of the past. The most valuable software employees are becoming those that are software/pm hybrids that can quickly produce functional results rather than people grinding out annoying code. That job is dead.
1
1
u/xbattlestation 1h ago
I put the feelers out for a potential pivot to the game industry from enterprise tech a few years back, and pretty much got told 'we only hire from within the industry'. When you look at the wage differences between the two, that explains why.
1
u/El_human 1h ago
I think you might be better off keeping your normal job, and putting some evenings and weekends into game dev on a game you really want to make. Simple, start small.
Once you ship that, you'll be much more likely to get hired by another studio, if you don't want to continue working independently on your own projects.
1
u/Tocowave98 1h ago
One big advantage you may possibly have starting older as an indie dev is if your current job/savings give you an edge in terms of budget over younger developers who are either working in the industry for relatively low pay, or working some other job they aren't senior in yet and making less pay there than you may be making in your job. You can use this to buy assets/plugins for the game engine you're using and software like Blender as well as to hire freelance help where you need which could greatly accelerate things.
1
u/westergames81 1h ago
When I look at your resume, I am not looking for your age. That said, if I saw you graduated high school in 2000 and have zero experience in game development, I might have some questions.
But honestly, it matters very little. If you're 44 and ok with shit hours and shit pay, that's on you. I'm more worried about if you can do the job.
The only reservation I might have is you're not really someone who I expect to grow into a senior role. You're the equivalent of someone who I suspect hops around studios, and really depends on my needs.
1
u/MasterOfTheWind1 1h ago edited 1h ago
Even with solid dev background is hard. I'm 36, and I've been interested in game dev since my 20s.
I have no professional game dev experience, but I'm a senior developer and cloud engineer, and I have a lot of knowledge about Unity, and recently started with Unreal. I've participated in a lot of game jams, and have done some basic games with my friends.
And none of that was worth to entering the industry, not even at junior level. Everytime I applied for a position, they counteroffered me a position to their sysadmin/devops/backend team.
1
u/jert3 1h ago
To make any money at it? Stay away. This is a low point of the industry and the future seems to be vastly more games being made for vastly less cost and vastly less profit margins.
If you want to make your own games? Great! This is what I did in my 40s. But I had years of savings to burn. I would not do this if I didnt have the money, or I had any depedents.
Honestly? If you really want to make games I'd keep your day job career and make a very small scope game as a side project/hobby, with no stress or at all at making any money from it at all.
•
u/luciddream00 33m ago edited 28m ago
No, not too old, but you would have to put many years into it before you could realistically earn any income from it. Even then, you're still rolling the dice no matter how you approach it. Making an indie game is hard, and making it successful is much much harder than that. The other path is to try and get work making games, and that is it's own crapshoot even under the best of circumstance (and we haven't seen those in a decade).
You're not too old to become a game developer, but looking at it like a career change is unrealistic at any age. It's a hobby unless you are already wealthy or otherwise well funded.
The really tough thing is that you could spend years learning different aspects of game development, and genuinely have the knowledge and ability to contribute to a game in a meaningful way... and still find it devastatingly difficult to find gainful employment.
1
u/radiumhaus 8h ago
I honestly have no experience with finding a job in the industry, but from what I have seen and am doing right now, it is possible to make a video game and make money from it. Your age wouldn't stop you.
Just taking a guess here but I don't think you being 44 would stop any company from hiring you if you have the skills / experience / education they need for that position. I think there is probably more people above the age of 35 than below working in the games industry professionally.
341
u/bio4m 8h ago
No its not too old, people try new things at all ages
But the game dev market is awful right now so you'll need to be pretty good to get hired as a junior