How Much Do You Make Per Year?

[khumak]

Another question that I would find interesting that this poll doesn't cover is how many devs would make a game even if they knew there was a 100% chance that they would never make a dime at it, and just wanted to try it as a fun hobby anyway. As a follow up to that, assuming you were going to try it no matter what with the hope of eventually going full time, how much would it actually take to go full time? Personally, I would happily take a pay cut to do something I loved instead of my boring day job but there's still a certain minimum threshold that would be required to pay the bills. If the best I could do was $500 a month then there's no way that could ever be full time. If I could manage $5k per month take home then that's doable even if it's a big pay cut. What's my minimum? Not really sure, but it's a lot less than my current salary. It's also WAY more than minimum wage.

 

[anne O'nymous]

Personally, I would happily take a pay cut to do something I loved instead of my boring day job but there's still a certain minimum threshold that would be required to pay the bills. If the best I could do was $500 a month then there's no way that could ever be full time. If I could manage $5k per month take home then that's doable even if it's a big pay cut. What's my minimum? Not really sure, but it's a lot less than my current salary. It's also WAY more than minimum wage.

You forgot an important point. As indie game author, your income isn't guaranty.

Let's say that you make a game, and after some times reach the $5K/month you wanted in order to quit your job. Therefore, you quit your job and start living from your passion.
Then, your game is finished. You start another one, and it happen that half of your supporters stop pledging because they dislike this new story ; Mr Dots lost around 1000 patrons when Melody became his main title.
Or you were going shopping and are injuring in a car accident, spending a month at the hospital. You don't live in the USA so you can pay the low bill, but you did nothing during this month, and during the two following months you're too stunned by the medication to works on your game. Once again you'll lost supporters and earn less, perhaps less than what you effectively need to live.
Globally speaking, you shouldn't quit your job until you make, at least, twice what you need to live. This to ensure that you'll be able to put some money left, but also to guaranty that even a big variation in your income wouldn't be a threat. If suddenly making games isn't enough to live, you've the time to either wait for things to be better, or to search without pressure a regular job.

And it's worse if you decide not to be a solo indie game author, but to start an indie studio.
You'll have people to works on the game after your injury, but the problem isn't there. Whatever how much the studio make, those who works for you have to be payed the same amount of money. And if the studio don't make enough, you'll have to pay them from your pocket.

 

[khumak]

You forgot an important point. As indie game author, your income isn't guaranty.

Let's say that you make a game, and after some times reach the $5K/month you wanted in order to quit your job. Therefore, you quit your job and start living from your passion.
Then, your game is finished. You start another one, and it happen that half of your supporters stop pledging because they dislike this new story ; Mr Dots lost around 1000 patrons when Melody became his main title.
Or you were going shopping and are injuring in a car accident, spending a month at the hospital. You don't live in the USA so you can pay the low bill, but you did nothing during this month, and during the two following months you're too stunned by the medication to works on your game. Once again you'll lost supporters and earn less, perhaps less than what you effectively need to live.
Globally speaking, you shouldn't quit your job until you make, at least, twice what you need to live. This to ensure that you'll be able to put some money left, but also to guaranty that even a big variation in your income wouldn't be a threat. If suddenly making games isn't enough to live, you've the time to either wait for things to be better, or to search without pressure a regular job.

And it's worse if you decide not to be a solo indie game author, but to start an indie studio.
You'll have people to works on the game after your injury, but the problem isn't there. Whatever how much the studio make, those who works for you have to be payed the same amount of money. And if the studio don't make enough, you'll have to pay them from your pocket.

Good points. The buffer idea is really just basic finance. EVERYONE should have that in mind regardless what they do for a living. Basically live within (or ideally below) your means. Your net worth should always be increasing regardless what's going on in your life. Doesn't have to be happening quickly but the trajectory should be positive. Otherwise you're going to run out eventually. You don't want to find out what happens when you get to zero. Zero is bad... I've seen zero before and I don't ever want to see it again...

The variable nature of game dev income is something I hadn't paid much attention to though and that's a more interesting point to me, especially if you plan on making a variety of different types of games. Maybe your corruption focused game will be really popular but nobody likes your RPG game. That sort of thing. So you're probably better off trying a few different projects and sort of take the average as a better indicator of what your future prospects are. You can't guarantee that every project you do will be as popular as your first one (or your best one). You might have a complete dud now and then.

 

[RanliLabz]

The variable nature of game dev income is something I hadn't paid much attention to though and that's a more interesting point to me, especially if you plan on making a variety of different types of games. Maybe your corruption focused game will be really popular but nobody likes your RPG game. That sort of thing. So you're probably better off trying a few different projects and sort of take the average as a better indicator of what your future prospects are. You can't guarantee that every project you do will be as popular as your first one (or your best one). You might have a complete dud now and then.

Absolutely. And it's not just games - it's directors, bands, authors... there's no guarantee when it comes to the creative sphere!

Even update by update can be risky - a less popular character or a divisive kink might see your game lose 10% of its income. In July I earned 5k, in August 6.5k, and it's back to 5k this month (although that had a lot to do with starting annual membership). In January, I'm moving to Phase 2 of my game (introducing sandbox and stat-training elements)... and for obvious reasons I'm bricking it about how it'll be received

 

[215303j]

You forgot an important point. As indie game author, your income isn't guaranty.

Exactly. Very generally and roughly speaking, I think a self-employed person should make about twice the salary when company-employed in a similar job, just to cover the risk of income fluctuation. Of course it depends also on taxes and various social security benefits (who pays for those?).

But, again, there is no price that can be put on doing something you love.

 

[Manuka]

I don't think it is the majority (the majority of devs is probably from Japan and China), but a huge part of Steam hentai games are actually made in third-world countries. They all translated into English and have English titles. So, you might think that the game was made in US, but the developer is living in India.

Very true. I worked with 6 different GD on here so far and all but two are from India

 

[Obscure]

Another question that I would find interesting that this poll doesn't cover is how many devs would make a game even if they knew there was a 100% chance that they would never make a dime at it, and just wanted to try it as a fun hobby anyway.

We already know. This is how everything was before the Patreon boom.

There was roughly 8 games in general production (outside of TFG and Hypno RAGS games) with no expectation that they would ever be completed so much as merely be abandoned.