File this under “Secret Lives of Librarians”. I spent a brief time in the video game industry, and while the games I worked on weren’t be-all-end-all titles, they faired well, and the people I worked with were phenomenal. I was in a bottom rung position but having the best time of my life, and the only way to go was up. But, fate came knocking, and while I went on to library school, some of my best friends are still making games.
But maybe you’re interested in getting into the business. Maybe you want to do level design, or make physics engines, or do character models. Sound? Maybe you want to test? Oversee production? Or maybe there’s even an avenue outside of direct contact with the creation of games, like video game journalism
Paid to Play: An Insider’s Guide to Video Game Careers is by David S.J. Hodgson and Bryan Stratton. They’ve highlighted 50 careers that exist within the video game industry, and have included portions of over 100 interviews with other industry professionals. It is a great book to truly gauge the options out there, and the comics are all done by the folks at Penny Arcade. So, maybe take some classes here, do some research, and see if there’s a spot for you in the industry.
