Quality of life in the game industry

Steve Jones · 2005-09-14T08:04:23

It should be obvious that this question is coming from someone who is NOT in the game industry. I am a programmer for a very large inkjet printer company but I do not program games. I have always had a passion for game programming, hobby mostly, but I do not know what the "life" of a programmer (game engine or game tools for asset creators like artists and such) is who works for a decent sized game company. Before I make any stupid, career change decsions that put my family at too much risk I would like to find out from experienced, game programmers who currently work or have worked for game companies. I have heard from an acquaintance who used to work for Midway in San Diego that the work hours are 9-midnight, 7 days a week. I hope he was kidding. I'm not a budding programmer fresh out of college who (no offense meant) would accept working long hours for little pay. I have also read a public letter from a wife who talks about her husband who was treated poorly at a certain game company. Is the industry really that cut throat? Is the competition to fierce and the profit margins so small that these companies have to pay so little and require so much time from their employees? -Steve