Hello. I am trying to become a game developer. I have 2 years of java/go experience and in my own time working in my own projects using UE5. I want to ask is it possible to find a job as a game developer i don’t know if i have experience as a mid but an entry level position sounds ok. If anyone have any suggestions or experienced this and has an opinion i would appreciate it. Thank you <3
Hey! Short answer: yes, it’s possible, and your background helps more than you think. Two years of Java/Go gives you real fundamentals, OOP, memory, concurrency, which is most of what gameplay programming actually is.
A few honest thoughts:
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Aim for junior, not mid. Without shipped titles, mid is a stretch. Junior gameplay programmer is the realistic target, and you’ll move up faster than you’d think once you’re in.
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Pick a lane. Coming from Java/Go, gameplay programmer is the natural fit. Tools programmer is another good option. Pointing your portfolio at one specialisation converts way better than “generalist.”
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Finished beats impressive. A small polished project . A 10-minute vertical slice, a tower defense with menus and three levels. This all beats a sprawling unfinished prototype every time. Shipping the boring 80% (UI, save/load, builds) is what studios are actually looking for.
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Lean into C++. Most UE5 studios hire for C++, not Blueprints. Make sure at least one project has real C++ in it.
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Don’t only apply to AAA. The junior market there is flooded. Look at indie studios, sim/serious-games studios (military sim, training, archviz all use UE5 heavily and get far fewer applicants), and QA-to-dev pipelines.
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Make it watchable. Short video clips, a written breakdown of the hard problems, a downloadable build.
Ship one small finished project, point it at gameplay programmer roles, apply broadly. Good luck!
Yes thank you for the answer. What are tips for where to look for those indie studios. And how to apply!