A Leap of Faith into Game Development
Hey everyone, it’s been a while since my last post. A lot has happened since I started my fifth semester as a computer science student. I’ve learned a great deal, including new languages beyond C, various frameworks, and the basics of AI. Recently, I've developed a deep interest in game development, and I’ve been practicing it for over a year now, creating a few solo projects as well as some with friends.
In a week, my friends and I will be competing in a public game jam on itch.io. We see it as a great way to practice and explore our creativity, especially since our dream is to make a living as game developers. The itch.io community is amazing. They host hundreds of public game jams available for anyone to join. It's a great way for aspiring developers to practice, submit their projects, and get their work noticed.
While I’m excited about joining a game jam, I'm also a bit scared. At this moment, I believe game development is my passion and what I want to pursue. They say if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. But as a computer science student in 2025, the job market has taken a huge hit. The mainstream demand for this major is mostly in AI-related projects and full-stack development. If you don’t have experience with AI, finding interviews and jobs can be tough.
Game development, on the other hand, is a very specific field and not currently a mainstream demand. It's also known to be one of the most complex and tedious jobs in the industry. Pursuing game development feels like a risk because if it doesn't work out, I might regret not investing my time in a field like AI.
I’ve always looked up to indie developers who create iconic and successful games. People like Eric Barone, the creator of Stardew Valley, who built the game almost entirely by himself, including the art, music, sounds, and most of the programming. Or Toby Fox, who, with very little programming experience, created Undertale, one of the most beloved 2D RPGs ever. And more recently, the indie team Team Cherry just released Hollow Knight: Silksong, which broke major gaming stores because of the overwhelming number of sales. It’s clear these developers poured their hearts into their games, and that’s incredibly inspiring to see.
With all of this in mind, this path is both a dream and a leap of faith for me. I can only hope to keep trying and not give up. I dream of working in a small indie team, contributing to a game that can be played by many people. Seeing the stories of others motivates me to pursue this field, and I hope one day I can create a story of my own.
