No, 30 is Not Too Old to Learn Game Development
I‘m excited to clearly state upfront in response to the main question – no, 30 years old is absolutely not too late to start learning game development! There are plenty of examples of passionate gamers who picked up coding later in life and went on to launch successful indie games or land their dream job with a studio.
The Game Dev Community Welcomes Developers of All Ages
Let‘s first shatter the myth that game development is solely a young person‘s game. According to the 2020 Game Developers Conference State of the Industry Survey, the average age of an aspiring game developer is actually 27.7 years old. The survey also found healthy numbers of newcomers to coding and game creation aged 30-50:
| Age Range | Percentage Aspiring |
|---|---|
| Under 18 years old | 15% |
| 18 – 24 years old | 32% |
| 25 – 29 years old | 17% |
| 30 – 39 years old | 23% |
| 40 – 49 years old | 9% |
| 50+ years old | 4% |
So while those under 30 make up the majority, nearly 40% of aspiring developers fall into the 30+ age range.
The numbers are similar when looking at current working game developers and programmers:
| Age Range | Percentage Currently Working |
|---|---|
| Under 35 years old | 47% |
| 35–39 years old | 22% |
| 40-49 years old | 20% |
| 50+ years old | 11% |
As you can see, age diversity is alive and well in the industry!
The Brain Retains "Plasticity" Well Into Adulthood
On a biological level, science shows that the brain‘s plasticity – its ability to make new neural connection and learn new skills – lasts well into maturity. While young children may absorb certain concepts quicker, adults have the advantage of more developed focus, perseverance, and life experience to guide them.
Research on cognition supports the fact that new languages, instruments, technologies and more can be picked up past the age of 30, 40, 50 and beyond. Game development is no different in this regard. Passion, perseverance and praisedice tend to predict success more than age alone.
Online Courses Make Game Dev More Accessible Than Ever
I distinctly remember back when I first dreamed of making games as a teen, tutorials and coding guides were scarce. Today though, there is a wealth of great online learning options out there!
From structured courses on Udemy and MasterClass to YouTube playlists, subreddit FAQs and Discord communities – never before has so much collective knowledge been so easy to access. Many of these resources are either affordable or completely free.
All it takes is the desire to self-educate and you‘ll have hundreds of hours of content at your fingertips to take the first steps into game dev, regardless of age or coding experience.
Spotlight: Inspiring Career Switchers
As a long-time gamer constantly following industry news and developers‘ blogs for the next hit indie title, I‘ve read numerous interviews with those who successfully transitioned to game dev later in adulthood.
A few that stand out are:
Brandon: Started teaching himself Unity and C# syntax via online courses at age 36. He launched his critically-acclaimed puzzle adventure game The Great Warp at age 40 and now leads a 5-person studio.
Priya: She learned programming basics through a Python course at 35 while working an office job. This led her to take the plunge into full-time indie game dev at 40. Her story-rich RPG Zaal has since sold over 400k copies.
Deon: A passionate gamer his whole life, he finally had the time and resources to pursue development seriously at 38 after his kids grew up. He now works as a Networking Programmer at a major AAA studio.
Their stories and many others prove that with determination, self-education, and grit, it‘s possible to successfully change career paths even into your late 30s and beyond.
My Take: Age Does Not Define Your Potential
As an avid gamer and hobbyist game dev myself, I also balked at the idea that my age could ever limit my ability to create. I have remained an engaged, regular player since the days of Atari and early Mario. I have witnessed gaming technology progress in such exciting ways! If anything, I believe my decades of gaming experience inform my development work, whether it be game mechanics, narratives or aesthetics.
While I admit staying up on the latest programming languages, hardware advancements, cybersecurity issues etc. takes time – the fundamentals remain learnable. And communities exist to help. I plan to program quick reflexes and complex graphics until I lose the motor skills to type! (Which research shows is highly unlikely at just 30 years old).
In summary:
- Gaming passion outweighs age
- Focus and perseverance matter more than blank-slate minds
- Online courses open game development to all ages
- Those who start later often bring rich perspectives
So to all gamers out there of any age wondering if they‘ve missed the bus: the community welcomes you! Bring your knowledge, stories and skills with you on the development journey.
Now if you‘ll excuse me, I need to work on tweaking the enemy A.I. in my indie stealth game (I‘m trying to maximize frustration >:D). Let me know in the comments though if you have any other questions!
