How I’m Building My Path Into the Gaming Industry
Introduction
It’s not enough to just earn and learn for me. I wholeheartedly felt accomplished when I received my degree in Digital Marketing. Sadly, when I didn’t see that translate into a career in the industry I wanted to get into—let alone any marketing job for that matter—I was disheartened. It raised questions within myself.
Am I good enough?
Did I really learn anything?
Am I too old?
What am I doing wrong?
Did I make a mistake?
All of these thoughts and feelings translated into being unemployed for two years, and then taking a job as a corrections officer. This is not a bad career, but it is not what I want to do, nor am I happy doing it.
So, what is it I want to accomplish?
I want to enter the gaming industry as someone who is not only recognized as knowledgeable and insightful, but eventually considered a subject matter expert. My dream career path is to grow from a content-creator hobbyist into a fully functional, independent media company.
This starts with getting my Master’s in New Media Journalism.
Alongside school, I’m publishing gaming articles—covering niche topics, interviews with industry professionals, event coverage, and reviews. I created Substack and Medium accounts to house this work. I built a website to highlight my past projects as a hobbyist and use it when pitching myself to companies, requesting event access, or expanding my network.
I plan to convert some articles into video content (short-form and long-form) and even into podcast episodes. I want to cover gaming through as many mediums as possible.
At the same time, I’m beginning to network with industry professionals: my professors at Full Sail, alumni who are open to sharing insight, my classmates, and others currently working in the field. Whether online or at events, these connections will help put a face to my name and support me in finding positions I may be suited for.
My larger goal is to freelance my skills and eventually land a role doing the work I’m going to school for—even if it isn’t immediately in the gaming industry. But landing a gaming role remains the dream. After completing my Master’s program, I plan to pursue a doctorate in Mass Communication.
Everything I’ve learned so far has been self-taught, combined with essential academic knowledge that is helping me refine and elevate my skill set.
Reflection
“In order to master a field, you must love the subject and feel a profound connection to it. Your interest must transcend the field itself and border on the religious.”
—Robert Greene, Mastery (2012, p. 30)
When I was a teen, I wanted to rap. It began out of rebellion—mainly because I couldn’t be RUN DMC for Halloween. Eventually, I fell in love with all aspects of hip hop: breakdancing, graffiti, rapping, and the culture itself.
I taught myself how to rap. I taught myself graffiti. I taught myself how to produce beats because no one would show me how or give me instrumentals. Then I taught myself graphic design so I could make my own mixtape covers. They were rough, but they sparked something real.
From those experiences, I realized one thing: I LOVE TO CREATE.
It didn’t matter what medium it was—music, visuals, or games. Video games, especially, were one of the few things that helped me enjoy my childhood when life around me didn’t allow for much joy. Now, creating opportunity is what I strive for: the opportunity to tell my story and prove to myself that I can do things I once thought impossible.
“The game you want to play is different: to instead find a niche in the ecology that you can dominate.”
—Greene (2012, p. 35)
The gaming industry is broad. I learned this even before working in it. Through content creation, I saw that most people want to be streamers or YouTubers. But not many people create content dedicated to indie games.
I also love Metroidvania games—platformer, side-scrolling, gated-progression adventures. So while my content is currently broad, my long-term niche is clear: indie games, and especially Metroidvanias.
“…actively rebel against those forces that have pushed you away from your true path.”
—Greene (2012, p. 37)
Many times, I strayed from what I wanted to do. The older I get, the more I recognize the sense of unfulfillment that follows completing things I thought I wanted.
Earning my Master’s is a huge goal—but it is not the final destination. Comfort in my paycheck as a corrections officer isn’t enough. And the people who say the gaming industry is oversaturated or impossible to enter will not deter me.
My goal is bigger: to tell a story through gaming—one that eventually becomes the story of my life, expressed through different formats, with gaming as one of the main threads.
“You are on your own.”
—Greene (2012, p. 39)
I’ve lived by this for a long time. I’ve never believed in blind loyalty to a company or industry. I always marched to the beat of my own drum. When people went right, I went left. Leaders throughout my life reminded me: no one cares more about you than you.
This has always reinforced that I must stay adaptable and open to change.
“Most often you deviate because of the lure of money…”
—Greene (2012, p. 42)
This has been true in many areas of my life. The military offered financial stability, benefits, and quick hiring. Other jobs offered convenience or security. But each time, I eventually returned to the same passion: gaming, creating, and communication.
Expand
Find Your Way Back
(Greene, 2012, p. 39)
I was sitting in the men’s housing unit at the jail where I work. It was two or three in the morning. An inmate was yelling from his cell, trying to disrupt the silence. And in that moment, a simple question popped into my head:
What do I want to pursue my Master’s in?
I remembered something I read or heard:
If you’re going to commit to school, pick something you’re passionate about or genuinely enjoy.
I knew I no longer had the passion for marketing I once thought I did. But gaming? That fire was still there. I was still playing games. Still consuming gaming media. Still making gaming content—just inconsistently. And I still felt passion when I did it.
I realized I was also still creating podcasts, videos, music, and articles. I was still marketing my gaming content. The next question became:
What about journalism?
When I looked at my alma mater’s programs, I saw exactly what answered that question: New Media Journalism.
Fast forward to class starting. I was at work again, thinking about this assignment, and one final question surfaced:
What happens in 12 months?
The truth is: it’s not just about getting a degree. It’s about closing a chapter of my life that has been open for far too long. A chapter I’ve outgrown.
My Life’s Task is to tell my story. It’s varied, vast, and at times unbelievable. This Master’s program—combined with gaming, journalism, and creating—is the beginning of the next chapter… and one of the most important steps in discovering my Life’s Task.
thegamelagjournal.com 