Well, even though the games industry is the highest grossing entertainment industry, it is doubtful you will see any programmer or such make as much money as one actor in the movie business. To me, there are few things in the world that take as much creativity, dedication, and skill as game programming. Luckily, as more kids get drawn into video games, and more of the older "games are for kids" types die off, you will start to see a change in this trend. In about 20 to 30 years the games industry will replace the movie industry as the most "glitzed and glamorous" industry at a social standpoint. To me, this would be a good thing. This way, kids will look up to people who program games, and want to be like them. This may actually make them want to go further into mathmatics, digital arts, or writing. Hopefully, it will give kids a better outlook than just, "I want a pretty face".

Right now is probably the best time to be learning how to program video games. The basis and standards for most of what you will see into the future has already been set.

Just to put my personal experience into this conversation. I''m not a game developer or a programmer, but I do love games. I am although a finance consultant and several of my client are game programmers. I won''t disclose the companies they work for but their big players in industry. (Vancouver, Canada) Without biased I can say 3/5 of them wage over 100K plus one close to 120k. Those being mostly female at that. Even though the Canadian dollar is lower it''s not enough to compensate 100k.

quote:Original post by WoolyLoach


Have it both ways - get a lucrative Windows/database job and then use your cash to self-fund your own development efforts!

That''s exactly what I''m planning to do actually.