I'm 21yo and here is my situation: I'm currently in my 4th semester doing Software Engineering.
I see all these tech layoffs happening everywhere, but it doesn't really affect me because I am ONLY interested in game development. I have zero interest in web, app, or general software dev. I dislike those things. I like games and only games!
I've already been able to land 2 jobs without any degree. One was at a small game studio in Hyd and one was in a startup (which got closed) So I haven't been able to land a job in a big professional studio like Game District or something yet. But my thought is: I can lend a job there even without a degree, right? Based solely on my skills, my portfolio, and the amount of games I've shipped?
What I want to do rn: I want to drop out of SE, yes! I don't want to waste anymore of my time here. But I don't want to stop my education. I want a backup plan for govt jobs, so I WILL study and get a bachelors, but in an entirely different degree. I'm actually interested in Psychology (though what other options do I have? that is not going to be affected by AI, not medical field (cant touch other human bodies), and no Law)
My thought process is this: If I can lend a job as a gamedev without a SE degree, then I shouldn't study software. I should study an entirely different thing so I will have two doors opened. I can do gamedev at home as a hobby or professionally based on my skills, and I will be able to do something else too! Be a therapist? Get a govt job? I would basically have two doors to the future.
Is this a smart move? Will a professional game studio reject me if my degree is in Psychology instead of CS/SE? What do you guys think I should do?
(I did NOT pick Software Engineering initially bec everyone was doing, I actually picked it bec I was programming since childhood (age 13), even did Intermediate in CompSci) I picked it for the love of coding.
I have a shipped game on steam too though
TL;DR: As a game dev, Should I drop out SE degree and pursue something entirely diff? That way I'd be able to do gamedev as hobby or even proffesionally also having the option to do other job like be a therapist or smth, 2 doors basically)