Median Salary In Games Industry: $73,000

A recent survey has found that the median salary in the video games industry is $73,000. That sounds like a ton of money, especially to young gamers. However, the salary belies the effort involved. Developers tend to work long hours, have deadlines that have no flexibility, and typically do not get paid for overtime. Jill Duffy, managing editor of Game Developer Magazine, says, “Full-time game developers in most states are classified as exempt, meaning they’re not eligible for overtime. Developers do work immense amounts of overtime.” In most places, exempt from overtime means you get the privilege of working the overtime, but not the benefit of getting paid for it. David Riley of the NDP Group said, “If you want to work nine to five, this is the wrong industry. Deadlines are fierce.”

Sure, working in the games industry sounds good, but there is a lot that goes along with it. Horror stories have been written about hours and working conditions, as well as dealing with fan expectations. If you plan to secure a career in the industry, make sure you look at the whole picture.