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What are some financial hardships of becoming a video game designer?
what are some things most people had to go through
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Archived’s Answer
That’s a really important question.
As of 2025, the game industry has been going through a shaky phase, with a lot of layoffs happening over the last three years. Since 2022, big companies in technology, gaming, and entertainment have let go of thousands of employees. While the pandemic in 2020 initially caused a boom in gaming (since more people were staying home and playing games), things changed afterward. Companies hired a lot of people when business was growing, but when things slowed down, they had to cut costs, leading to layoffs.
For many game designers, this means job instability—one day you might have a great job at a studio, and the next, the company could shut down or downsize. When layoffs happen, people often have to look for work in other industries, like tech, education, or software development, because game jobs aren’t always easy to find right away.
Another financial challenge is low starting salaries, especially for junior designers. Entry-level game design jobs don’t always pay as much as tech jobs like software engineering. Some designers start as interns or freelancers, meaning they don’t have a steady paycheck at first. Indie developers, who make their own games, also struggle financially since there’s no guarantee their game will sell enough to make a living.
That being said, the industry is always changing, and game designers with strong skills in areas like UX, coding, or systems design can find opportunities outside of just gaming. Even if things are tough now, game development is still an amazing career if you're passionate about it—just be prepared for ups and downs along the way.
As of 2025, the game industry has been going through a shaky phase, with a lot of layoffs happening over the last three years. Since 2022, big companies in technology, gaming, and entertainment have let go of thousands of employees. While the pandemic in 2020 initially caused a boom in gaming (since more people were staying home and playing games), things changed afterward. Companies hired a lot of people when business was growing, but when things slowed down, they had to cut costs, leading to layoffs.
For many game designers, this means job instability—one day you might have a great job at a studio, and the next, the company could shut down or downsize. When layoffs happen, people often have to look for work in other industries, like tech, education, or software development, because game jobs aren’t always easy to find right away.
Another financial challenge is low starting salaries, especially for junior designers. Entry-level game design jobs don’t always pay as much as tech jobs like software engineering. Some designers start as interns or freelancers, meaning they don’t have a steady paycheck at first. Indie developers, who make their own games, also struggle financially since there’s no guarantee their game will sell enough to make a living.
That being said, the industry is always changing, and game designers with strong skills in areas like UX, coding, or systems design can find opportunities outside of just gaming. Even if things are tough now, game development is still an amazing career if you're passionate about it—just be prepared for ups and downs along the way.
Updated
Christopher’s Answer
Hi Sebastian,
I know a major challenge is breaking into the field. It is not an easy job to get, many people put hours into schooling and can not secure a job which can lead to financial problems.
That being said, if this is a career you want, you have to go for it. If it doesn't go the way you anticipated, you at least have some great experience.
I know a major challenge is breaking into the field. It is not an easy job to get, many people put hours into schooling and can not secure a job which can lead to financial problems.
That being said, if this is a career you want, you have to go for it. If it doesn't go the way you anticipated, you at least have some great experience.