I’ve been asked this a few times recently and I find myself giving a more complicated answer than I used to.
A few years ago I’d have said yes without hesitation. The games industry had problems but the trajectory felt right — more studios, more roles, more creative ambition. The answer was “yes, and here’s how.”
Now I pause. Not because I think it’s the wrong choice, but because the honest answer requires more context.
The volume of layoffs over 2023 and 2024 was genuinely brutal. Talented, experienced animators with shipped titles on their CV are competing for fewer roles against more people. That’s just reality right now.
And at the same time — the skills transfer. The creative satisfaction is real. The work itself is still extraordinary when you get to make it. And the people who build relationships, keep producing, and stay adaptable are still finding paths in.
So I want to know what the community thinks:
If someone you cared about — a student, a younger sibling, a mentee — asked you today whether they should pursue a career in games animation, what would you tell them?
Would you say yes? With what caveats? Would you steer them toward a specific area of the industry? Would you say wait? Would you say no?
Real answers only. No cheerleading, no doom — just what you’d actually say. 