Intro

It is no secret that the Game Industry in its current state makes it very difficult to try and get a job, especially for those who are freshly graduated from College. Knowing this, many students are feeling uncertain for their future in games, but it is still achievable for those who put in the work. While at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), I, as well as others from Geekwave, talked to some developers about how they got into the games industry and their tips and tricks on how other people can do the same. 

Create as Much as Possible

Many of the developers that we had talked to mentioned that the number one tip to getting into the industry is to just start creating. Whether that be 3D models, levels, or gameplay mechanics, many developers recommend just starting to make games to get a better chance at getting noticed. This is also how many budding developers could improve on their skills in their respective fields.

A developer we talked to by the name of Max Silverman had mentioned that how he got into the industry is by finding a game called Super Smash Flash 2. He then found a community of players who wanted to create something they were passionate about, ultimately leading to them creating the game Fraymakers. This sentiment of creating games is shared with the many other developers that we had talked to, so it seems those who want to get a better chance at getting into the industry need to start creating.

This way of creating may not work for everyone as some might not have the resources to dedicate so much time to these personal projects. However, for those who do have that time, and want to better perfect their craft, this is the best way to get a better chance at getting into the industry.

Publish, Publish, Publish

Another point that some developers had mentioned is to just start publishing games. Many popular Indie Games started out as personal projects from unknown developers, some of which come out and become the next big gaming sensation. For example, a recent game by the name of Schedule 1 that was released on March 24th, 2025 sold about 2.5 million units in the short 2 and a half weeks it has been released for. Now this is still very rare, as there are many games that release every day, but it is still a good practice to start publishing games so that you would get a better chance at being noticed.

Some of the developers we talked to at GDC had also said this was a good way into getting into the industry since you are showing that you know how the game development process works which can translate well into the industry. Publishing a game can really show industry people that you understand the nuances of how to create a game which can really benefit you in the long run. Having your creations work in unison to create a published game is also the best way to showcase your skills in game development, as proven with games like Schedule 1.

Work On a Team

One other tip that we had received was to join Mod teams for games. A Mod team is a group of people that work to create a modification to an established game, given that they have mod support. Games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Fallout 4 have a big modding community, and modders can sometimes get the chance to join the dev team of the game that they worked on. The main reason to consider joining a Mod team is to build your skill in working on a team. Game Development heavily relies on teamwork, as you will most likely be working with many other people. Teamwork is a vital component to a game development cycle. If you can’t work well in a team, your chances of working in the industry decrease significantly, as being a successful solo developer is extremely rare to pull off.

Conclusion

Joining the Games Industry can be very difficult, especially with how the industry is at its current state, but with these tips you can make it easier to get noticed and get a better chance at getting into the industry. Many of these tips will also help with developing your skills in the various different fields that are necessary to be successful in the Games Industry, so we hope that these tips can help budding game developers.

To see Jason’s article on the 2024-25 Capstone Experience and Kaden’s article on Lorns Lure, stay right here on Geekwave. 

Links

Here are the links to the various games mentioned in this article

Fraymakers: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1420350/Fraymakers/

Super Smash Flash 2: https://www.supersmashflash.com/play/ssf2/ 

Schedule I: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3164500/Schedule_I/ 

Baldur’s Gate 3: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1086940/Baldurs_Gate_3/ 

Fallout 4: https://store.steampowered.com/app/377160/Fallout_4/