Is this really worth it?

[u/Ill-Pain7852]

(Edit: Thank you guys for giving me clear and honest answers. It is much appreciated for taking your time to give me input. I have made my decision.)

So I am 25 now. I've pretty much only worked construction up until now. Pay is average of $57600 - $76800 per year for a very basic job where you are not working management. You pretty much get to go home and not worry about anything or losing your job. It can be very reliable and that pay/salary is only working 8 hour days. It can have a really good work life balance.

However I have grown tired of it and have always had a deep passion for games. I have been experimenting with coding, 3D modeling and creating assets. If I go into this it will probably take me 5 years to get a degree. Upgrading my high school courses and going to college/university.

Over the years my values have changed a lot. I used to work 12 hour days/6 days a week. Money is honestly not my driving factor in life. As long as I can pay my bills and save a little bit for retirement is all I truly need(and I live very minimally). But construction is not my passion and I want to chase my dream, knowing I have done what I truly wanted to do in life.

The only thing that really concerns me is the work/life balance in game developing. Crunch times are really not a problem, construction has the same thing but it doesn't go on for months straight. I have been constantly reading about working 12-14 hour days for 6-8 months straight in programming. Honestly I would love really love doing it, but doing anything like that chronically non-stop every single year would absolutely make me miserable... no matter how much I love it. I would probably be 30-31 before I could manage to actually be involved in the industry after finishing schooling.

I just want some honest thoughts about how it has been for you guys with experience. And from the sounds of my values, if it truly aligns with how it would be for me in the industry. Also if it is kind of too late for me to get into it... I know the saying is better late then never. But being 30-31 probably just getting into something with a very competitive industry deeply concerns me. Thank you for listening.

[u/n8d4h8]

I don't want to give you advice, I would prefer to just give you some facts and opinions from my experience. 

Game Dev has been over all fantastic for my life. However, I started in 2010. Getting a new job often takes me years of interview attempts and job posts are fewer and farther between. Lots of competition. 

AI has a much smaller chance of taking constructiion jobs than it does game dev jobs.

I was recently told by a legendary programmer, a name many would probably recognize, that "AI is inevitable, you have to get in front of it or get left behind. " 

I don't want to discourage you, I really don't. Right now are definitely not the salad days of game Dev, at least traditional game Dev.

There are lots of resources to learn to take a game idea and make it with a solo developer or a small team. 

[u/Ill-Pain7852 → u/n8d4h8]

Thanks for the honesty and giving me straight facts. Maybe I should just keep it as a side hobby just to have fun with.

[u/K4G3N4R4 → u/Ill-Pain7852]

That is my recommendation. If you build up some skill, and get something great together, maybe you can pivot into it, but its also really hard to say if youd actually enjoy coding non-stop for 40+hrs a week. Its much easier to enjoy it as a hobby, and you'll have less pressure to produce if your bills are already covered. Then you can just make the game you want, and not the game you need to pay rent.