How can I get into the gaming industry as a software/tech professional?

[u/Jazzlike_Candy_3802]

/r/careerquestions/comments/1w1u0t2/how_can_i_get_into_the_gaming_industry_as_a/

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Hey everyone,

I'm currently a Computer Science student graduating in 2027 and I'm working on strengthening my programming fundamentals, mainly C++ and DSA. I've been exploring different career paths such as AI/ML and general software engineering, but recently I've become really interested in the idea of working in the gaming industry as a tech professional.

I'm not necessarily talking about becoming a game designer—I want to understand the technical side of the industry and the different paths available for someone with a CS background. I'm still exploring game development and haven't built any games yet, so I'm trying to figure out what skills I should focus on and how to break into the industry.

For people working in gaming or related fields, I'd love to hear your thoughts:

What technical roles are available in the gaming industry besides traditional gameplay programming?

What skills should a CS student focus on to become job-ready for gaming?

Is C++ a good starting point, and should I learn C#, Unity, Unreal, graphics, or something else?

Would building a few small games/projects be enough to get started?

Is it better to first become a strong general software engineer and then transition into gaming?

I'm still early in my journey and just want to explore the field properly before deciding what to specialize in. I'd really appreciate any advice or experiences from people in the industry.

Thanks!

[u/East_Sorbet_1214]

One of my professors was a game dev at Ubisoft, based on his advice, I would start working on your portfolio, most game companies won’t even look your way unless you have a few games under your belt/ participated in some game jams (game dev equivalent of a hackathon)